no big surprise to anyone who knows me…i have an opinion…about pretty much anything. my most recent inclination is to try to curb – not the opinion so much as my need to express said opinion. don’t get me wrong…this is my space here and people decide to visit so i am ok jumping atop my soapbox or linnea spectacles and taking a look at the world around me. what i am talking about is a fine line between lively conversations that i enjoy and something else.
i want two things from this.
number one…a few weeks ago i was sitting with friends and we got into a conversation about movies. someone brought up king kong. i have no and have never had any desire to see the movie…any of them. but my reasons are soundly planted in the idea of a huge ape running amuck in new york just to speak to me – no biggie. i could have just been silent. instead i took up a strain of conversation about the various “arguments” that the movie is actually a subtext about (keep in mind this is someone’s theory) black man’s love of white women and their eventual demise as a result…or something to that effect.
whatever.
the point is that i really don’t care that much about the theory or the movie itself. so why bring it up. mildly interesting…maybe…but why did i feel the need to add that little detail. life would have gone on fine if i had just nodded when someone asked about king kong and answered, “no, i haven’t seen. you?”
the other is just the idea of giving someone the space to say what they mean. or what they feel. or what they want to say. even if i agree. even if i have a story that fits. i want to practice the art of sometimes – not always – but sometimes just smiling and enjoying whatever i was privileged to hear.
of course if you bring up abortion or abstinence only hiv/aids education please know that i cannot be held to a smile and a nod.