Little Boxes

Have you ever experienced sharing a thought that may go a little against the grain, only to be verbally sledghammered back into the tiny close-minded box that makes the pounder feel secure again? I mean, have you been made to feel like there is something critically wrong with you to dare to THINK that maybe the way things have always been or maybe the way the "box" views things isn't the only perspective?

I've had these encounters far too often here lately. And, it doesn't seem like there any areas that are exempt: family, work, church (ahhhh, church), politics, personal finance, food choices, movie reviews, parenting, childbirth, fashion, hair, the holidays, dating, marriage, re-marriage, divorce, fidelity, friendship...cell phones, for crying out loud! I've decided that I'm sick of the little boxes!

Now, make no mistake about it, I realize that to embark upon this journey of re-thinking so many things, I must be the first to hang up my sledgehammer. And it's here that I'll hang it. Keeping this blog is an intentional choice to examine all the little boxes I've tried to shove others into as I work out my responses to those I feel continue to brandish their choice weapons of intolerance, conformity, and quite often ignorance. I'm expecting that I'll have to do a lot of apologizing. I'm hoping to learn objectivity and love and the grace of letting the other be.

I welcome you to respond, encourage, debate and challenge me along the way.

Peace and courage!