You know, I don’t think our opinions and beliefs are so important, really. I think it’s what we DO with our opinions and beliefs that matters. I mean, if our beliefs lead us to bigotry, hatred, condemnation, and general mean-spiritedness – that is not cool. But if our beliefs lead us to kindness, wisdom, forgiveness, and healing – that is WAY cool. Right?

photo of surf and seagulls in Lincoln City, Oregon, taken by Karen Molenaar Terrell

“We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms. Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world’s evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it, – determined not to be offended when no wrong is meant, nor even when it is…”
– Mary Baker Eddy