3+3=6... so does 5+1

Six plus three equals nine, but so does five plus four. The way you do things is not always the only way to do them. Respect other people’s way of thinking. 

This quote really means a lot to me. It reminds me that we all have our own circumstances and reasons why. We also each have our own personalities and the way we like to do things. Just because two people do things differently doesn’t mean one of them is wrong. 

I did a really neat assignment once where we all had sheets of paper. We were asked to close our eyes, fold the paper in half, then again in half, then tear off a corner, then fold again, and so on. We all followed the same instructions, but our papers looked different. I loved this experiment because it showed how even when we hear the same thing, we interpret it differently. And that’s okay. 

Too often, people judge each other for how they approach a problem or handle a situation. I know I don’t like to be judged, who does? We’re not entitled to place our beliefs on others, criticize their choices, or make them feel less than. Unfortunately, many of us learned that behavior growing up, or picked it up from a society that often leans into judgment instead of understanding. 

But if we know that being judged makes us feel hurt, insecure, disconnected, or even ashamed... why would we turn around and do that to someone else?  

We’re all doing the best we can with what we’ve been given. If we can learn to love and accept each other’s differences, we grow stronger as individuals, and more connected as a community.