This I Believe

This I Believe

I believe in being inclusive. My late sister Juanita was a master at this. She was hard to get along with in other ways, but she didn’t give up on anyone because of what they believed in – even if it wasn’t what she believed.

I thought she was going to write me off when she found out that I voted in a particular way in 2004. She came close, but she didn’t. She kept on talking to me anyway. She was crystal clear on what she believed in too. No doubt about that.

I believe in being inclusive. I have friends who espouse things that I don’t believe in, but I won’t stop talking to them and liking them just for being themselves. I have friends who aren’t Christians, I have friends who are, I have friends who are atheist, I have friends who aren’t, I have friends who are going to leave it all to a green organization and friends who don’t put that very high on their list. I have friends who are of a different sexual persuasion and friends who are aren’t. I have friends who are married and friends who aren’t.

I believe in being inclusive. I won’t stop being a friend to someone simply because they aren’t like me. I’m well into my sixties now and have believed for many years that most people are likable and I haven’t had reason to change my mind. I believe in being inclusive.