Frequently, we put so much energy into defending the things we know that we fail to listen to the voices around us.  When we do this, we are allowing our certainties to blind us to what may be obvious (or not so obvious) truths.

Whether it’s listening to people question a social norm, to people on the other side of the political spectrum present a policy, to a scientific notion that changes as our knowledge grows, or even listening to our quiet inner voice when the world around us is proclaims widely-accepted orthodoxy, we need to pay attention.  We need to acknowledge that we don’t know everything.  We need to remember that it’s a normal and healthy and good thing to continue to learn and grow throughout our lives.

Society encounters all sorts of problems when we become so fixed on our own truths and realities that we fail to hear about the truths and realities of others.

Today, may we all use our ears and our hearts to listen.  It doesn’t mean we have to agree with what they say.  But listening and being willing to question our own understanding means we can hear the voices of others, we can learn from their positions, and maybe we can find a common ground.

“It is our knowledge — the things we are sure of — that makes the world go wrong and keeps us from seeing and learning.” –Lincoln Steffens