Disagree Able

(Another piece from that still in-work "Reports from the Frontal Lobe".)

It’s okay to disagree. You might not agree with me but that is the point since it is perfectly alright. Disagree to your hearts content. I disagree with some of the best. Disagreement helps me understand. I disagreed with the Dali Lama today. The Dali Freaking Lama. How is that for balls? Disagree with the Dali Lama? Yep. Today. Read something he said about countermeasures, surprised me that word was even in his vocabulary. Helped me see the Dali Lama in even a greater light. He is human. Just like all of us. Loved that I disagreed with something he said because, well, because I am like that.

Disagreed with Elvis. On some of his song choices and life choices. He is the single biggest influence on my love of music and evidence of how much each one of us can mean to so many others…….and he sang some shit. He made it all sound good but come on, Elvis. You made some shit choices on songs. “Old McDonald?” “The Wiffenpoof Song”? “Sign of the Zodiac”? “Queenie Wahine’s Papaya”? A voice like that used on such crap? Yeh, I even disagree with the King.

Disagreement just means we see some thing differently. I like honoring other’s point of view even when they are so different than mine. Like honoring their choices even if I think they are wrong. My choices are my choices and some of them have been wrong. Gloriously wrong. Spectacularly wrong. Choices I made and live with….and learned from and honor. After all, I am human and I get stuff wrong at times. Just like all of us do. Even the very best of us. Even Elvis. Even the Dali Lama. If we think someone is flawless, we discount their human experience. If we think we are flawless, that is our greatest flaw. Gosh, I love irony. You might not. That is alright. That is how this how piece started……disagree to your heart’s content. Does not threaten me. Maybe that is why we have four cheeks…more time to turn away and ignore the disagreement.

Turning the other cheek takes strength. Doesn’t mean you won’t kick someone’s ass if you need to kick it. Just means you turned the other cheek.