Open your hearts

People should seek out others opinions and points of views that are different than yourself, because it creates a learning experience than can be unforgettable, like in the story about the Good Atheist who brought people together to do a good cause. They all accepted eachothers' ideas and opinions to work for the greater good.

I volunteered to help my church in the nursery and Sunday school, I was fourteen and the youngest volunteer. I worked with other women in my church I hardly knew. One woman, Dannielle, was 34 who was married with 3 kids, and the other woman, Michelle, was almost 50 who had never been married. I worked with these women every week for around 5 months without really getting to know who they were as individuals. There was faculty party for all of the volunteers at the church, and that event is when I opened up to Dannielle and Michelle. Fourteen was a tough year for me. I was forced to leave my house, and on top of that I was dealing with teenage angst, rebellion, and searching for who I really was and who I want to be. Dannielle had stories about her daughters and trying to raise them was the most difficult thing in her life. I came to understand all the sacrifices my mother had made for me and I understood some of the decisions she had made, including kicking me out of her house. It took me about a year to talk to my mom again, but I did eventually apologize for all the trouble and pain I had caused her over the years.

Without opening up my heart and listening to Danielle's stories, I do not think I would ever have forgiven or spoke to my mother again. Now, I still work on Sunday mornings with Dannielle, Michelle, and a bunch more volunteers, and my relationship with my mother has grown tremendously. By listening to others' points of view, you see a different side of life besides your own. It gives another path for your mind to travel.