Our Differences Are Knowledge Not To Be Denied!

In a heated discussion with a 23-year-old who believed that he should only surround himself with people who think like him.

Image by Annelise Lords

In a heated discussion this morning with two twenty-three-year-olds. One of them believed that he should only surround himself with people who think like him.

I wrote this already, but it’s always being said by someone older.

He was influenced by a not-very-smart older adult, who probably has no children and doesn’t know the value of knowledge and the danger the lack of it poses on human life.

A male that young has so much more to learn about life, living, and our world.

“But if you surround yourself with only people who think like you, you will learn nothing new about life,” I attempt to impart wisdom.

“How?” His thirst for knowledge brain wondered.

“Being around humans who only thinks like us, offers our brain no stimulation so it will go into snooze mode. Young minds can’t afford to go into snooze mode,” I educate.

“So you are saying too much of the same thing will allow my brain to become sleepy?”

“Do you want to walk around with a sleepy brain?”

“No,” he answered in knotted brows thinking.

“Jamaicans believe too much of one thing is good for nothing.”

“I don’t understand,” he fired back. “The people who think like me decomplicates my life.”

“Then what happens you have to go back into the real world and face different people with different thinking?”

Silence as he battled with his youthful lack of knowledge brain.

I indulge further, “Life, time, weather, people, thinking, actions, minds, thoughts, decisions, cars, eye colors, hair, technology, laws, etc. change multiple times per day. Some changes by the second and others by the minute.”

With furled brows, his brain went on a rollercoaster, and I injected more wisdom and common sense.

“When we surround ourselves with people that only think like us, we impose limits on our brain, thoughts, imagination, innovation, ability, understanding, etc. We close the door to interesting new ideas of doing old and new things that would share and teach better solutions. We deny ourselves innovating ways of improving and adding taste to food, how we fix our cars, appliances, how we look at life and handle obstacles we encounter daily. We rob ourselves of life saving ideas, methods, remedies, cures, natural ways of improving ourselves and life, etc., etc., etc.” I repeated hoping to nail it inside of his brain.

“So, we find ourselves trapped on a rollercoaster going in circles while life and vital knowledge slip passed us!” fell from his brain.

Smiling, I piled more on, “You are young, you must never limit your brain, mind, imagination, creativity, innovation, or anything else that will deny you knowledge of anything that will improve your life. Life lessons are everywhere and in everything and surrounding yourself with people who only think way you do, is a disability you are imposing on yourself. Our brain needs stimulation. Exposing it to limitations will shut it down.”

“But I have problems with people who think differently,” he complained.

“Boy, you are going to have problems with people whether they think or not. No matter their race, religion, culture, creed, education, or the lack of it, wealth or poverty, problems will be there. That’s life. Obstacles are not imposed upon us to destroy us, but to teach us valuable life lessons,” I explained.

“So, I should keep learning mode on always?”

“Who told you that?”

“You did!”

We laughed, then I slam dunk, “Our differences, sometimes are the most exciting part of us. It holds knowledge that we shouldn’t deny ourselves or others.”

All humans want a perfect world. Me too. It doesn’t exist and never will. I refuse to deny myself the ability to learn something new.

I live among and communicate with all kinds of people. Their actions, choices, decisions, life, likes, and dislikes are lessons for me. Lessons I use to make better decisions to improve my life. Their lives are manuals that I use with wisdom and common sense.

That twenty-three-year-old is my son.

That kind of thinking works for a certain age and certain humans. Young minds need lots of information and ways to do things if they want to live a good life and contribute something positive and valuable to their world.

I surround myself with all kinds of people. Where did you think I got so many stories?

Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.