Tolerance

This I Believe

I define tolerance as respecting any and all beliefs without prejudice. It seems pretty simple, but it is actually a very hard code to live by. I have always thought of myself to be tolerant towards other people, but I have only realized what it truly means in my maturing over recent years.

My views on tolerance have been shaped over the years by myself, as opposed to by the influence of others. My naturally laid-back attitude and my second-guessing nature have helped me take a good look at others’ beliefs and compare them to my own. I found that the reason that it is so hard to practice true tolerance is that it includes tolerating people who are intolerant, so it is sort of like doing something for nothing. Only when you are in a situation that requires you to be tolerant of an intolerant person can you actually know what you truly believe. It seems to me that tolerance is not something you can achieve, just something you can strive for.

I believe that practicing tolerance can make everything a whole lot better. Not only can tolerance help the community by allowing people to exchange important ideas with each other, but it can also help someone become a better person. When someone is intolerant, they sometimes blame their problems on someone else. Tolerance can help them move on and improve themselves.

Overall, I believe that I am not the best at being tolerant, but striving to achieve it is what counts. Tolerance is the best path, this I believe.