#Repost @somasnakeoil • • • • • • Recently I posted a push back on someone’s page to something they were sharing with their community. I felt like I needed to use my voice. To me it seemed like their opinion could create more suffering for a community I really love, one that I fight for, and who’s welfare matters to me on a large scale. So I used my words in a way I usually wouldn’t in someone else’s space. It was understandably met with negative feedback and a sense that I didn’t understand the source of the opinion. The truth is, I don’t understand. As positive as my intentions were to offer another perspective, I didn’t stop to feel the depth of the hurt, fear and need for protection that the idea was based in. How can I tell anyone what they should believe? Beliefs are rooted in real life experiences. It doesn’t change someone else’s point of view to make a well crafted argumentative statement. It inflames. I know better. I know that a private check in, and an attempt to connect is much more effective for everyone involved. That both people can learn together from each other. Besides, who made me the idea police of a community? Yes, it’s important to use our voices, but sometimes it’s important to be quiet and try to truly understand where someone is coming from without jumping into self righteous pontification. I’ve thought about this quite a bit in the past week. Whether or not I believe I’m right isn’t the question. The question is, did my words bring people together or did they divide? I consciously create inflammatory art and write words to create dialogue around issues. People are not issues. And. I do not want to be divisive. I need to check myself about being “right”. I need to let go of the moments I think I know best, and seek to know more. Perhaps the way forward would be to ask, why do you feel this way? Before offering rebuttals. It’s a difficult practice and something I’m going to commit to working on, even though I know I won’t always get it right. Maybe the thing to learn is being wrong. #apology #beingwrong Photo: @surgeonstudios MUA: @terinagatita https://www.instagram.com/p/B3F5p6JA7dO/?igshid=1ho5nfqx8yes7
