THIS I BELIEVE

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”      -Socrates

Have you ever had the feeling that you are right and everybody else is wrong? Or, despite the fact that nobody believes it, you are certain that you saw, heard, felt, or experienced something?

There are approximately 7,000,000,000 people in the world and everybody thinks that they are right. This phenomenon is not new and it is a natural (healthy) occurrence to hold our individual beliefs, thoughts, and priorities as important truths.

Our beliefs are the craft of our own unique knowledge, perceptions, and experiences. We are proud of our views and often stand up for them. They are dear to us and sometimes, it’s all we have.

Occasionally, our values may clash with the philosophies of others. As close as our beliefs are to us, they may start to crumble in the face of opposition. We may not be as comfortable or confident in what we believe in, when we are bombarded with inquiries that question what we hold to be true.

The key is to be confident in your search. Some people may try and persuade or intimidate you to accept their beliefs or put you down for yours. I believe that those people aren’t confident in their own philosophies. Rarely is someone so sure of their truth that they want to share it with the world and help them “see the Light”. (It is a rarity but not unheard of.) Rather, when the aforementioned canaries get everyone to believe what they want they feel more comfortable with their thinking.

Socrates (469 BC – 399 BC), the famous and influential Greek philosopher, was all too familiar with opposition. In fact, he died refusing to retract his words. Socrates was labeled as “impious” and was charged with blaspheming local gods of the city and corrupting the youth of Athens, Greece with his philosophical musings. Socrates was then convicted by a majority of 501 jurors and was sentenced to death by poison. While the world lost a scholar to a nation’s blindness and fear of revolutionary thought, Socrates emerged, posthumously, as one of the most influential philosophers of all time.

Perhaps we need not be as adamant and stubborn, when faced with death, due to opposition of our ideas. Maybe we do. Irrespective, in today’s day and age, (assuming you are not living under some dictator’s regime) you have the freedom to choose and formulate your own opinions. This doesn't mean that we should be close-minded and dogmatic. If you come across an answer that destroys your question or learn something new and want to incorporate it into your belief, then so be it. That’s how you had formulated your previous notions.

Our intuitive talents play a remarkable role in our lives. They are something that nobody can minimize and often they hold our most honest beliefs. Be brave and bold when it comes to your personal philosophies. They are part of you. Don’t be too open and never be too closed. If you set realistic goals, you are bound to find what you are searching for.

THIS I BELIEVE.