To Ease the Passing of Time

Should we share our opinions regarding sensitive subjects like politics and religion with others? If I had asked myself that question only a few years ago, the answer would have been NO, unless you have a lot of time to talk and discuss with them. Now, I think that we should, no matter what. Why? Because I realized that if we don’t express clearly what we think and believe, it will eventually create conflicts and misunderstandings. If we are not clear about where we stand, people will think that either we share their own views, or that we don’t have opinions of your own.

For fear of hurting others’ feelings and lose them, I have always been reluctant to express clearly what I think, and take a strong position regarding certain issues, especially when I felt that I did not have enough time to do it properly, but I now think that I was wrong. In today’s world, with the social medias forcing us to be concise and straight to the point, we cannot be too wishy washy about our convictions. Opinions are often expressed by posting or sharing statements written by others in a way that leaves no room for nuance and interpretation. There is no time to explain why we think or feel this way or that way regarding this or that. Just tell us where you stand and what you think!

In his poem Desiderata, the American poet Max Ehrmann, who was born in 1872, wrote, “Speak your truth quietly and clearly.” I think that whether we live in the age of the internet or long before the social networks, it’s always a good idea to be clear about where we stand and what we think.

This is the poem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaVaF6TkSUU