I stood and watched my prehistoric friend for perhaps 20 minutes.  I watched as he scratched and dug his long claws into the rough wood.  Anxiously he guarded his territory.  Slowly he turned his head this way and that searching for someone stupid enough to oppose him.  Of course he only had one guest in his small prison that could possibly threaten his supremacy and with each step he made our pretty boy scratched, huffed and grunted, just to let him know who was boss.

        Isn’t it funny how animals will mark and guard their territory?  They will do some pretty strange stuff to let other possible rivals know who is in charge.  They will scar and deform the trees with their claws, turn the turf into their personal litter box and stink up the environment with their scent.  They will growl and puff up trying to intimidate any one who looks different and they will snarl and hiss like a bully on a play ground because they don't want to share their toys.

        As I look my young dinosaur in the eyes I am reminded just how much we have in common with these territorial beasts.  We too have a hard time playing well with those who look different than we do.  If you are not part of our group we too will do some pretty strange stuff to let you know who is in charge.  We will bare our teeth and hiss out our threats trying to intimidate those who don't look like, act like or believe like we do.  We build barriers to segregate and separate ourselves away from those we do not understand.

        Yes, we will put on our most intimidating and ugly face simply because we fear leaving our comfort zone.  How sad and short sighted we are.  How we rob ourselves and cheat ourselves by our intolerance of those who are different than we are.  You can not have a symphony if everybody plays the same instrument, and there is no harmony if everybody sings exactly the same.  Variety adds color to our lives and a beauty we would never know without making friends with those who are different than we are.  Today, leave your comfort zone and build a bridge of tolerance, acceptance and friendship.  Remember, happiness is a choice, just like love; enrich your life today by choosing tolerance.

Something to think about:

• The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to your father; deference; to your mother; conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.

• The test of courage comes when we are in the minority; the test of tolerance when we are in the majority.

• Before you can cure the diseases of the body, you must cure the diseases of the soul—greed, ignorance, prejudice, and intolerance.

• Humor makes all things tolerable.

• A difference of opinion alienates only little minds.

• Love thy neighbor, even when he plays the trombone.

• The most impressive evidence of tolerance is a golden wedding anniversary.

• Tolerance implies a respect for another person, not because he is wrong or even because he is right, but because he is human.

Thankful for those who tolerate me
Rickey Moore