Being Considerate of Difference

What would life be like if everyone was the same? I think it sounds pretty boring. However, one of the hardest things to do is accept that people are different and be considerate of this fact. 

An example of this in my own life is diet. For the past 3-4 I have been vegetarian on and off. Currently I am pescatarian, so I eat fish and seafood but I don't eat meat. I have been considering transitioning back to being vegetarian. Maybe I'll even become vegan. Who knows what the future may hold? 

I know that the diet I have is the correct choice for me. I feel better when I'm not eating meat and it simply feels right to me. However, I've encountered a lot of obstacles on this journey of mine. From people not providing vegetarian friendly food to people not knowing to cook meat and non-meat dishes in separate, clean dishes. All this has made me think, how can we be more considerate about people's differences? 

Some people eat meat, some people don't. Some people exercise a lot, some people don't. Some people drink alcohol, some people don't. The list could go on and on. All of these choices are what make us unique and they should be respected. Just because you like to go out and have a few cocktails does not mean that you should make fun of a friend who isn't interested in the same activity. 

We all need to stop thinking that everyone else is exactly like us. Before you have people over for dinner ask what types of food/drink are preferred or if anything is off limits. Choose an activity at your gathering that will be fun for everyone and won't leave anyone out. And if you know that one of your friends has a quality that is unique and different from you, do everything you can to make their visit the most comfortable for them that it possibly could be. Isn't that what it means to be a good friend? 

I don't want this post to be a rant or make anyone feel bad. I've also been inconsiderate about people's differences. I simply want to say: everyone is unique and that is a beautiful thing! Let's all be better at noticing our friends' uniqueness and being considerate and respectful about the things they choose that are different from ourselves. Let's take the opportunity to learn something new instead of putting someone down because they enjoy different things than us.

P.S. the tea of the day is green tea ^_^