I whole heartedly agree with the statement, "When we shrink from the world, our souls shrink, too." Whenever we shy away from supporting our beliefs, it weighs on our hearts as a regret; something that should have been done. At least that's how it is for me.
I believe that it is human nature to struggle to go against the opinion of the majority. It is so easy to just pretend like you agree with the consensus, especially when dealing with a particularly controversial topic. In these cases, it is not uncommon to choose to stifle one's own voice in favour of keeping the peace.
I have found myself guilty of swallowing my own voice in the past. I can personally attest to the fact that it eats away at you inside. Recently, I have become much more comfortable voicing my opinions. I do however find it easiest to share opinions with strangers or acquaintances, people I may never see again, because if they don't approve, then it has no personal effect on me. On the other hand, if a close friend or family member were to vehemently disagree with my point of view, I could risk loosing someone important to me. While I understand and agree with the statement that if the other party is unwilling to accept differences in opinions then they aren't worth having as a friend, but the potential heartrending pain makes it much easier to preach than to practice. Therefore, particularly when offered the opportunity, I find that it is typically in the best interest of an individual to speak their mind. Being true to yourself is one of the best feelings you can experience.
What about shrinking from the world to preserve your soul? Preserving your soul from the thunder of society? I feel that to know who I am, I must retreat from the intensity of the world to actually allow my soul to heal. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. There are times when it is good to draw back and allow your soul to heal. Not doing so could be very detrimental. I think it all depends upon the situation and circumstances as well as the individual in question. It's near impossible to provide a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone.
ReplyDeleteAustin: I understand what you're saying about needing to withdraw to know who you are, however I believe that eventually you must be out in the world, regardless of whether you feel completely ready or healed. I think that you truly grow as a person when you're put in new and sometimes uncomfortable positions that force you to make difficult decisions and consider who you really are. What are your thoughts?
ReplyDelete:)
I agree with Aimee. When I withdrew, I didn't want to go back out into the world for fear of being uncomfortable. Uncomfortable situations are never fun, but they are a learning experience. The next time you are in a situation that resembles the first uncomfortable experence, you draw on it to make this one better.
ReplyDeleteI can say that until college, I didn’t talk to people I didn’t know, or anyone really for that matter. I didn’t interact with others and I only had a few friends, my high school can attest for that. I was unnaturally quiet, and when I did say something it was only when my head was yelling at me to voice my opinion. I didn’t want to be a part of others lives, and to be quite honest, I still don’t fully. I enjoy being me, secluded and all, but I have found that the best time for me to do that is when I am already alone. If I am in the company of others I try to reach out because, even if not for me, I can help someone else if they need to talk. I like listening and I like putting my opinions out. I have strong beliefs on what I see in the world around me and even if I choose to shy away, for fear of losing myself possibly, I shouldn’t let that control me. Getting involved like you all are now is truly the best way in opening those doors.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the discussions guys, great job!
-Jeremy
Nicole, we are all different, and I am definitely not a "one-size-fits-all" kind of guy! lol I come from a large family, between us are about a dozen methods of fixing ourselves, healing ourselves, and coping. We all just try to grant grace and patience to each other in those times. Excellent point!
ReplyDeleteHello Aimee! I do agree, one of the greatest times for personal growth is when you are out of your element.
Sometimes though, actually fairly often, I need to retreat from the deafening shrills of society, of our culture, to remember who I am. Often I take a step back and ask myself "Am I who I want to be? Do my actions reflect who I want to be?" If the answers are no, then I have some serious work to do. This world, man it's disorienting. It is so easy to lose yourself in all the noise.
After my retreat, I come back with a new battle plan. Revised. When I come back, I come back ready to do whatever I set out to do. This SLICE experience, interacting with so many people, putting ourselves out on a limb, everything is meant to teach us, to encourage us to do what we feel is right. You can always learn a lot more about a person by the way they act under pressure!