RESPECTING THE DIFFERENCES IN OUR PREFERENCES








We all have close people in our lives…. Some of them are very, very close. But, ‘closeness’ does not mean we should hold the same political, religious and other beliefs. It does not mean we should follow the same eating, dressing and living habits. Some of my close friends do not eat non-vegetarian food, while I do. Some blindly follow a certain political party or its leader; I don’t. Some love big cars and houses; I am fine with a small house and no car. Yet, for years, there has never been a dent in our closeness… Yes, despite these differences in our preferences.  

In my view, the dent in our closeness comes: when we are unwilling to accommodate our differences in our preferences… Like in our eating or praying habits… Or, when we are willing to root for our political leader more than our close friends… When we are willing to let our years of closeness fall apart, just to win an argument and prove a point.

Some days ago, I found myself discussing, with one of my dear friends, on the present political situation. Soon, we found ourselves on the opposite camps, and, I could observe that unpleasant feeling in my body, mind and heart. I confessed about it before my friend, and he, too, agreed. So, we quickly decided to value and cherish our closeness more than trying to argue over a thing which would dent our relationship.

Crazy it is: we are willing to win arguments and lose people… Often, very close people!

And, what good does that ‘victory’ serve?
We see this on social media, everyday, 24/7. Many of us don’t even realize, that what we post on social media may cause dent in our closeness. Still, we do…

Whenever one of my friends posts something very reactive on social media – against a certain religion, political party, leader or eating, dressing and living habits of certain communities – I try not to get dragged into the cesspool. I am conscious of this fact: if I, too, react, the pool will become even dirtier… It will stink even more!

All that’s required on our part is a little more restraint… a little more maturity… a little more respect for each other’s differences in preferences!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Jatinder Sondhi


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