By now, you know the fascination I have with cobwebs. The variety and beauty of them have been really striking over the last few weeks, including a wonderful image of a lacrosse racket created by two cowparsley stems with a web suspended between them! I was admiring them yet again this morning and was wondering why there seem to be so many more of them this year, when it suddenly popped into my mind that probably there are no more and no less than usual. It’s just the weather conditions that are allowing them to be so visible to us. We’ve had several frosty mornings after clear nights when the frost has created a rime on the strands which has made them visible and several mornings after damp nights when the mist rising has caused droplets to drape on the strand, again making them easily visible and revealing their wonder.
That got me to thinking about different viewpoints and reflecting on a very silly argument that started purely because of a different way I had of looking at something from someone else, and neither of us, at that moment, could see the other’s viewpoint. A few minutes later, and a different approach, and we could both not only see each other’s standpoint, but understand and appreciate it too!
Different viewpoints are so important. If we all saw the world the same way, life would not be as we know it. Some would say it would be a much better place, but I feel we wouldn’t have the incredible diversity in everything that we have because of our different ways of thinking. Granted, the huge trigger points of religion and greed wouldn’t exist in the same way, so we might avoid some of the more pointless wars caused by intractable belief systems, but I don’t think it would be all sweetness and light. Humans are fundamentally social animals and social animals by and large tend to live in discrete groups, which causes friction between different groups, so I think our nature wouldn’t let us live in peace and harmony in any case.
What I do find frustrating is the lack of willingness of some people and belief systems to allow for different opinions. Some folk are really open to new ideas, will listen to someone else’s opinions and strive to understand, even if they don’t agree. Other people, though, try to impose their belief system on everyone, and will not allow themselves to listen, even if they don’t have all the answers (and who really does?!)
I’m not talking exclusively about religion, or politics, or any other didactic topic here, although where the shoe fits….. One thing I am talking about is the individual choice we all have of allowing another to have a different viewpoint, and being able to accept that someone else doesn’t have to hold the same viewpoint as yourself to be a good person, or someone you can be comfortable with. Diversity in nature is good. Diversity in opinions is also good.
Wow, who’d have thought that cobwebs would lead here?!