In our country there are two main political parties: the Republicans and the Democrats.

The Republicans are known to be those people who hold tightly to traditional values, while the Democrats tend to be more open to change. Presently, our country is very divided between these two sets of beliefs causing tension in daily life. With each side fighting to get their say, our country is beginning to split in half.

My question is: What happens to those of us who don't consider ourselves to be one or the other? Where do those of us who hold views from both sides go when we aren't welcomed on either side? If no one will compromise, will our country ever be able to move forward?

I was raised in south Louisiana in a Catholic family, which, as I'm sure you have assumed by now, means that I was also raised in a Republican household and community. Growing up in such a highly Republican area allowed me to learn a lot of conservative values and viewpoints which I am glad to have as an adult.

However, growing up in the highly republican area in which I did also gave me some experiences that have had a not so positive effect on me.

You see, I have always been a soft hearted person. I have a heart that bursts with love for everyone and seeks to bring goodness and joy into the world around me. I have always been the person who cheers for the underdog in any event, and I hate to see any living being in pain.

I don't enjoy spewing negativity towards people, no matter how much I disagree with them. I hold firm in my belief that every person deserves a certain amount of respect; we do not get to treat someone badly just because our beliefs are different from theirs. We must let people's actions speak louder than their words for once.

I have always heard negativity towards liberals and vise versa because anyone who follows politics will hear these things. There is one complaint that the republicans have about liberals that has always stung me though.

Republicans love to criticize liberals for being "bleeding hearts."

If I may, I'd like to ask a question... What is so wrong with being a bleeding heart?

Now that I am in college, I have been given the time and space to learn more about who I am as a person. I have come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, a bleeding heart. I have too much love in my heart to not feel pain and anguish at the injustices in this world, and I do not see what is so bad about wanting to make the world better.

I cannot be the person who turns a blind eye on injustice just because it doesn't affect me. I cannot live my life knowing that there are so many people suffering and not try to help them in some way.

"Above all else, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” ~ 1 Peter 4:8

This quote is something that I live my life by. It reminds me every day that spreading love and joy should be my first priority.

I have several titles: I am a young Catholic southern woman.

I am also a bleeding heart who happens to hold many conservative values. I am neither Republican nor Democrat; I am somewhere in the middle. I hold the more liberal belief that we should do our best to bring an end to the injustices in our country and in our world. However, I do not always agree with the way that the Democrats go about this. I stand with conservatives in their pro-life stance; the belief that every life, even the unborn, deserve a chance.

I stand on the ground of compromise where I hope that one day we can all stand.

When you boil it down, the majority of people on both sides want the same end result. We want peace, justice, love, freedom, equality. We want the values that our country was founded on. What we must come to realize is that we will never get back to these values unless we agree to disagree on a few things and compromise.

We used to be the greatest country in the world. Don't you think it's time we go back to that?