Acceptance is a skill that is acquired over the duration of our lives, and is one that offers utmost importance in terms of the meaning behind the word. It’s far more than tolerating someone or something; it is the ability to recognize flaws and tendencies associated with a person or a thing, but being able to look past the annoyance and irritation these things may cause and instead embrace and celebrate them as they make someone or something unique.
I feel as though in modern day society that acceptance has somewhat lost its meaning. Its presence isn’t exactly detectable when it comes to being warm or welcome towards someone who may differ from the expected norm, and if anything, I feel as though social divides are more prevalent now than ever.
This is a rather troubling observation, in my opinion, as it demonstrates how intolerable and unaccepting of difference, in any context, we have become. Nowadays, being different or unique actually has the ability to instill a feeling of discomfort in us, and when you consider the implications of this occurrence, it is a bit disturbing.
Why can we not seem to accept people as they are? Why have we permitted social hierarchies, constructions and expectations to essentially make decisions for us and potentially push away someone or something different that fails to abide by what society has deemed as acceptable, or normal? None of us are the same, which is what makes us unique. So why not celebrate differences instead of shunning them?
There are few things that can make someone feel as insignificant as rejecting who they are because they choose to be different. Acceptance is such a powerful concept, and it’s about time we broaden the margins of what we define acceptance as.
Be you, and be firm. Don’t ever change.
ontheedgeofeverything 