When was the last time you heard an opinion and asked the person why they felt the way they do? When was the last time you sat back and listened to what they said? This does not mean prodding them with questions until you back them into a corner expecting answers nobody has. This means asking one initial question and then opening your ears to what they have to say.

As I have aged, I have been more aware of how little people actually listen to each other. We were always taught to listen before we speak; where along the way did we lose that? Was it before the development of uneducated opinions or after? I am the first to admit, when I have a strong opinion on something, it is nearly impossible to talk me out of it. That's the great thing about opinions, we all have them and it is our right to hold onto them.

We were all raised in different households with different values and different outlooks on life. From this, we think differently about issues and non-issues. Without these differences, we would be unable to expand our minds and engage in problem solving (a very healthy habit for our brain). We would never have stimulating conversations about politics, our favorite food, the government or why the sky is blue. Thinking about thinking the same way as everyone else pains my brain and any creativity that lurks within it. It should be painful for you as well.

Maybe if we stopped taking our ability to think for ourselves and say what is on our mind for granted, we would be more willing to stop and listen to others. Listening is one of the most harmless things on our planet and is the first step to active learning.

The next time you disagree with someone's opinion, take a deep breath and hear them out. Maybe you will learn something, maybe you won't. Maybe the person you are listening to has no idea what they are talking about or maybe you don't. But is it something to get angry about? Is debating on what the best restaurant in town is really worth ruining a friendship over? The sooner we all realize how different we are and how amazing that is, the sooner we will be able to have calm and civil conversations with more people.