Diversity, Anyone?

One of my young people asked me this weekend, ‘Why is it so hard for people to allow other people to do what pleases them?’
I was fascinated by the question, and had many answers but one that I knew to be true is this,
People really want other people to think like them, be like them, feel like them and it seems to really work folks nerves when others don’t acquiesce…
Honestly…
As a non-conforming conformist…I have worked the nerves of many, simply by just being me…I’m sure all my peeps are nodding, umm hmm as they read this…giggling…
I conform when it’s a rule, law, regulation, but beyond that I do my own thing, go my own way, write my own stories…
But I see it all the time…
Someone will marry a polar opposite and spend the rest of their married days trying to change the person…rarely happens…many people pack their bags and leave before they change…
Or they will raise independent thinking kids…but will turn and twist all night when the kid takes a different career path or date someone who is not pre-approved, or check this out…has an opinion that is different….
I have seen people get up in arms with others because they don’t like the same people,
Eat the same kinds of food,
Read the same books,
It is almost as if there is this overwhelming desire in many to get others on the same page, at any cost…
I don’t even know what makes it that way, but that way it is…
I remember three years ago when I was writing Black’s Obsession, I told a friend I was going to name my female character Cinnamon, for some reason that irked her…
She tried and tried and tried some more to get me to change my mind…never could say why…but that name bothered her…what bothered her more was that I did what I was originally going to do…
What I try to get people to realize is there is a lot of freedom and fun in diversity,
The best times I have is with those who are a bit different,
Quirky, independent minded soldiers, those who will take a path less traveled,
But come out on the other side…smiling, grinning, alive…
Who are willing to share their experiences, failings, victories with you…
Allowing you to share your differences with them…
Knowing that while we may not all be the same,
The world is big enough to hold all of us….

Love and Blessings,
Angelia