I've been working on this post in my mind for the past couple of days. I know what I want to convey, but I'm not sure of how to put words together to help a reader understand my thoughts.
There is a difference in my mind between acceptance and endorsement. There is also a difference between acceptance and approval. For me, acceptance is very limited in meaning. For me, acceptance means receiving someone or something as adequate.
Humans can greatly test our ability for acceptance. Often, we want the people who we allow into our lives to pass certain criteria. They have to be one thing or another, or not one thing or another to be acceptable to us.
One of my core beliefs is that we are all worthy, we are all children of God, we all carry the Divine within us. We are perfect, imperfect creatures. We are unique creations of a loving Creator.
That belief demands that I accept you as you are. It demands that I find the divine in you, and treasure that.
It doesn't mean that I allow people who would harm me in my life. It doesn't mean I endorse destructive behaviors in people who exhibit them.
It means I accept you as you are. There may or may not be room in my everyday life for you, but I will never ask or demand that you change for me.
Because we are all unique, and all wonderfully made, humans are incredibly diverse. It is not my job as a human to rate others, or to scale their value. It is my job as a human to appreciate the wonderful creation you are.
I can fall into the trap of being judgmental. Of thinking I know best what decisions someone should make. I can fail to see the pain someone is in because they don't match society's expectations, and add to that pain with my thoughtlessness.
Working on acceptance is and will remain a constant process for me. Life is hard, and harder for those who are not accepted for who they are.
I will continue to strive to see everyone I meet as who they are. Because I will never be able to benefit from the beauty they bring to the world if I don't.
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