Small Thoughts: 3

My little brother taught me something recently (I don't think he even realized it).  There is a level of love and acceptance that is coming from people his age that should be noted.

We often try to one-up each others experiences, or tell others that what they have done/experienced is "nothing compared to...".  Why do we do this?

I often find myself observing and listening to conversations, rather than participating.  A young man had mentioned his experience with sailing and how he had only been a few times- nothing major.  But he said he really enjoyed it and couldn't wait to go more.  The older, saltier adults of the group proceeded to tell this young man that what he had done so far was nothing - that his sailing experiences couldn't compare.  Out of all the people sitting there - cruisers, racers - my brother probably had the most experience.  But regardless, I watched as he embraced this young mans exposure to sailing.  Not trying to diminish his story, but told him to keep going and experiencing it.  

My brother taught me that it's not about how much you've done something, or where you've done something.  It's that you're out there doing it and experiencing new things.  Seeing the light from a different angle and embracing each others stories from where they are at and where they've started could be a game changer for the way we treat each other.

Be encouraging, not discouraging.