EVERYONE IS RIGHT, UNTIL THEY AREN’T

Every person on Earth has a reality about life based on what they have been told, along with the experiences they have had or witnessed in some way. These things gradually shape how we see the world. Over time this collection of beliefs becomes the reality we live by. We hold onto these views and often feel the need to defend them, until one day something happens that encourages us to see things differently.

Because of this, every individual carries their own version of reality about many aspects of life. We might meet people who share some of our views, perhaps even many of them, but it’s rarely exactly the same. Our beliefs slowly become the lens through which we see everything. When someone challenges that lens, it can feel as though they are challenging truth itself. From that place it is easy to conclude that others are wrong and they should be corrected.

Yet when we step back and look at it more calmly, something interesting becomes clear. At any given moment, all human beings are in the middle of changing realities. Each of us is continually adjusting our understanding as new experiences and insights arrive. Is it any wonder communication can sometimes be difficult when we are trying to bridge such widely different and constantly shifting viewpoints?

There is one thing we can be fairly certain of. Our understanding of life changes. However convinced we are in the moment that the way we see something is correct, it will almost certainly shift at some point in the future. As we become more aware and our consciousness expands, we begin to allow ideas into our thinking that previously seemed impossible or unreasonable. Suddenly a new way of seeing something appears and, to our surprise, it makes sense. Something we might have dismissed outright just days or even moments before can now feel completely logical.

We have all experienced this in simple ways throughout life. As children we were absolutely certain there was a jolly old man with a white beard and red clothes who flew across the sky in a sleigh pulled by reindeer, delivering toys to every child on Earth in a single night. We believed he climbed down chimneys with a sack of gifts and enjoyed the biscuits (cookies) and milk we left for him. Many of us were equally convinced that a tiny fairy would arrive during the night to collect the tooth we placed under our pillow and leave money in its place.

These ideas felt completely real to us at the time. Our world supported that reality. Yet eventually another understanding replaced it. We did not feel foolish for once believing it. It was simply part of growing and learning.

The same process continues throughout our entire lives.

Society itself is full of examples where beliefs once accepted by almost everyone later changed. For many years people believed the correct treatment for a burn was to apply butter. It was common advice. Today we know that is not recommended. In the past a snake bite was often treated by cutting the skin and attempting to suck out the venom. That was widely believed to be the correct response, yet modern medical advice now discourages it.

These changes remind us that what seems unquestionably true in one period of time may later be replaced with a clearer understanding. When we remember this, something helpful happens. We begin to soften our need to prove that our current view is the only correct one. Instead of arguing to win, we can listen. Instead of attacking someone else's perspective, we can become curious about why they see things the way they do.

Sometimes the other person may indeed be mistaken. Sometimes it may be us who has not yet seen the fuller picture. And sometimes neither person has fully grasped the truth yet. Life is full of situations where understanding slowly unfolds rather than appearing all at once. Approaching conversations with this awareness changes the energy completely. Rather than a battle between opposing positions, it becomes an exchange between people who are each learning in their own way.

When the ego is strongly attached to being right, discussions often turn into conflict. When ego is not present, something else becomes possible. We are able to hold our views while still allowing space for other possibilities. We can express what we believe without feeling the need to attack or dismiss someone else. This approach also brings something valuable into our own lives. It moves us into a more peaceful and respectful way of interacting with others. When we allow room for different viewpoints and remain open to learning, we naturally express more patience, understanding, and compassion. In other words, we begin to operate from a place closer to love rather than conflict.

Beliefs are part of the human journey. They help shape our experience while we live and learn in this physical world. Yet none of us holds the complete picture. Each of us is gradually expanding our understanding as we move forward. Remembering this can make our conversations with others far easier. Instead of trying to force agreement, we can simply share ideas, listen, reflect, and continue learning together.

After all, every one of us is still discovering what life truly is.

Love,

Sandy Stevenson

17.3.26