Whose Opinions Matter?

There are times when it is hard to be an opinionated person. Too often, we come up against those who are not content to let us have our own view of what is or is not important. I am not sure if it is because some people feel threatened when their philosophies are not echoed or that these folks just want control. But I have come to the conclusion that I have allowed myself to be pulled into "shooting from the lip" when encountering this attitude.

I wrote a post, yesterday, that I deleted. It was over-kill. And I made a comment about another person that was totally uncalled-for, so I went to the blog where I had made the comment and deleted it. I am sorry I ever wrote it in the first place...not because I differ with some one's philosophy, but because it should be beneath me to describe another person in a vulgar manner. What the other person has or has not done is not important. What is important is how I conduct myself and I am sorry I made that comment. I also know it is not going to kill me or diminish me to admit when I am wrong. But this is the only time for that, as well. I don't want to keep beating a dead horse.

I just came home a little while ago from getting a blood test in preparation for a lovely procedure that most of us senior citizens have to have sooner, or later. Ah yes, the colonoscopy is due again. I am required by my gastroenterologist to have one every three years since I had a polyp removed after my second one. I was really feeling down. I had seen so many negative comments and criticisms that I was wondering what I was thinking in believing that my opinions were as important as anyone else's. But then I was greeted at the door by 29 pounds of wiggling, wagging, panting, prancing "Oh, Boy, Mommy's Home" sweetness and a smile and kiss from 160 pounds of warm hubby.

I realized that I put a whole lot more stock in the opinion these two hold of me than just about anyone else. If I am a good enough person to have the love and respect of hubby, children, friends and my little guy, then I need to get off my pity pot and have at it. This blog is about me, my life, my experience and my opinions. The goals of any organization to which I belong can be addressed by going to that site...not here. If my personal goals coincide, that's just the way it is.

I have a wish more than a goal. I have a wish that people might allow us all to stand up and speak our piece without rancor. I believe there was a BSE/EMS. I believe that we were legion in number and badly mistreated because it was acceptable and legal to do so and I will speak out against that at every opportunity. I believe that sexism was disgustingly prevalent during this era and that a young girl was chattel and her rights were ephemeral chaff being spread by the wind. I wish that others could see the reality of what I and uncountable other young women lived through.

I wish that they could see the changes as I saw them, when I saw them. I researched what I saw and what I experienced and my research upholds my observations. I can only go by what I know. I can't speak for anyone else but myself. I have friends who are of the same mind, but we do not think for each other nor do we speak for each other as individuals. Again, as an organization, go to the organization for information about it. I support it here...I am involved in it, there. And I apologize for neither.

So, I am taking a deep breath, consulting with my common sense and having at it, again. I am going to speak my mind, express my opinions and, to anyone who doesn't like what I have to say, go blog about the subject. It's a free country.

I will be more careful about leaving personalities out of it. The only one that matters, here, anyway, is me.