A Locked Gate: Five Inspirational Verses on Embracing Difference
By Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
When the National Library Board in Singapore removed titles from its list of children's books because of controversial content, it caused some ire.
Some parents arranged a reading session where they released the offending books. Many supported them and as many did not.
The group that celebrated diverse views was not wrong, nor was the one that chose to protect itself from it.
Both groups, however, need to mutually acknowledge and respect their different stances. Each has biases it should not force on others.
Prejudice is a locked door
The prejudice or bias of others, for any reason, is a bane that we have all experienced.
It is a locked door that prevents us from experiencing the beauty and goodness of Difference.
Getting others to accept what they are not used to is a painstaking process. It is difficult to affirm anything out of our personal norms.
The Effects of Bias
Yet, while this is an ideal, recognizing another perspective is beneficial and at times essential.
Not doing so closes our minds to others, much like a locked door. It bars friendship and other good graces that come with acknowledging differences.
Is it Bias
Removing Differences: Unbarring the locked door
Removing biases, whether your own or those of someone else, is unlocking a gate.
Ridding minds of these bolts involves the willingness to empathize with other perspectives. It means embracing people and unconventional notions we are not familiar with.
It is also about disagreeing agreeably. No one obliges us to agree with ideas, but the onus is on us not to force our own on others. Accepting differences boils down to mutual understanding.
And this acknowledgement cannot merely be at face value. It takes gradually embraced willingness.
Apart from this is necessary shared experience and conversation.
Below are five Fibonacci verses on the knotty subject of bias.
Deal with bias by
How do you deal with bias?
A Locked Door
A
Gate
Locked firm
With dead bolt
Bars from Difference
Latched against the hands of his good
Gate
Stands
Between
Shallow souls
And spirits guided
By poignant truth and knowledge
The
Grills
Secure
Firmly latched
Against every grace
And the unseen chance of Difference
Gate
Locked
Now shuts
Mind's blind eye
To assured blessings
And the wholesomeness of good grace
Gate
Closed
Blocks sight
Of whole truth
And little Givens
That we take from hands of difference.
Inflexible, prejudiced attitudes keep goodness in all forms away. How do you deal with it? Feel free to comment below.
Comments
Well said and beautifully composed. Great metaphor of the locked gate. How difficult it can be to open it, to open our minds. But it is the only way to go...
You have written well on the topic of communicating successfully. We must learn to listen and reflect upon what someone is saying before responding.
Voted up and awesome. Always best to be with an open mind.
An open minded individual will feel more at ease great words from you
Wonderful article and well worth reading. The video is great in so far as it carries a wonderful message to uplift others. Nice one Michelle.
Well Written with a message we all must hear. Jamie
Until we all learn to unlock that door, this world will have serious problems. Nicely written about a very important topic.
Very important topic and a wonderful way of expressing biases. I love the metaphor of the closed and locked gate. Your poem is beautiful and poignant. It is so difficult for others to accept what they do not know. So many people live life with blinders on. That is why it is so important to travel and see other places and meet other people. It truly does broaden horizons. We cannot change others - only ourselves. Voted up + and shared.
It is always wise to open up our minds to the thoughts of others, and to be tolerant of other people's views, I think.
Voted up...
A very well-written hub about an important topic and beautiful verses.
Very wise thoughts on embracing differences and conveyed in a beautiful way.
Having an open mind and giving space to others is very essential.
Beautiful thoughts! Voted up and shared on HH!
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