We've come a long way...

Yeah, i was thinking about how some people change while others stay the same. I am not speaking of looks, I am speaking about attitude. I believe that our attitude is molded by the people and things we surround ourselves with. If you are a member of a group chances are that many of the members have the same attitude on certain subjects.

I will speak of myself. I once had a much different attitude about life. lov, family and friends, than I now have. My opinion is that I am much more open and willing to accept others for what they are. I really feel I was molded by the company I kept. While I don't believe I was a horrible person, I must admit I was closed-minded on certain subjects. I was ok with others having a different view but, I did not want to hear it. Now, I look forward to learning new customs and ideas. I believe now, the the more we learn about others the better we are at communicateing.

As I learn different cultures and beliefs I can build on my own by applying some of the new ideas as they fit. If you ask my son Dave, he will say that I am evolving. He believes in evolution.

I am probably evolving, all I know is that when I look at other people in my life that haven't changed in their ways in many years, perhaps in their whole lives,I wonder if they will ever realize what they have been missing. I think that, that is what brought changes in my outlook. From a very early age I never wanted to be left out. I always wanted to know what was going on. For a time there I fell into a rutt. I just allowed others to dictate how I felt about things in the name of religion. No more Baby! I decide how I want to think and who I want to agree or disagree with. In other words I now pick my own fights.

I even believe now that God views people in general in a different way than I used to believe he did.

My view of what I used to believe as the end of the world has dramatically changed. I know longer believe that God will destroy all but for a small group of people. I am an imperfect man an I would not choose one of my children over another. God is not imperfect, and I believe he also loves all his children. Every single day all around the world babies are being born, would he destroy them before they had a chance to live? I don't know what the future holds for me or anyone else for that matter. But I think we can and owe it to ourselves to stay aware of changes around us and to allow ourselves to grow where possible.

Getting back to those who refuse to accept others or their views, and thereby denying themselves a chance to grow and become a happier and fullfilled person, I have learned to accept them also. After all what kind of open-minded person would I be if I looked down or did not accept those who wish to be closed-minded....