A Strong Unique Belief

Q: What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

A: I gave this some thought, as the answer initially seemed pretty simple. So simple, in fact, that the it seemed too obvious. The more I pondered it, though, I realized my initial response was obvious for no other reason except it was obvious.

I don't have any strong beliefs that aren't shared by my family and/or closest friends. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. If nothing else, I think it speaks highly of the way I was raised and it made me realize how grateful I was that I didn't grow up in the South like some people you see on daytime TV who train their kids from birth to be racist. I'm also glad I wasn't raised to think that Full House qualifies as entertainment. I was brought up with a definite sense of what is wrong, right, good, bad, admirable, and not-so-admirable. Now that I've been on my own for some time and have had the chance to exercise my free will and genuinely question why I believe what I believe and live how I live, I'm proud to say that my parents (and those closest to me in my formative years) done good.

I don't know if it's a common thing for people my age to say, so I don't know how normal - or abnormal - it is that my parents brought me up and instilled me with a belief system that 40 years later, I still adhere to and hold in high esteem.

The same goes with my closest friends. I think it's only natural that those I am closest to people who share similar beliefs. Not that I don't have friends who have differing opinions on a wide variety of topics,  but I think it's safe to say there isn't a single strong belief I have that isn't shared with anyone else in my inner circle.

Sure, we have our differences on the little details; things that, at the end of the day, aren't going to make a huge difference, but when it comes down to brass tacks (whatever THAT means), we all see pretty much eye to eye. It's nice to have that common ground. I believe it makes for a much stronger foundation on which to build.

***

#Trust30 is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey