The other day I was out for a walk and I was struck by the different personalities of pigeons by the beach. There were pigeons huddled in groups seeking attention. There were ones that just seemed to blend in and there were more aggressive types. One bird really stood out to me. He wasn’t in a group. He was on his own. The others seemed to have their backs towards him, and he seemed to be purposefully lifting his leg to walk further away from them. He was going it alone.
An Outcast?
The scene made me wonder about whether this bird was an outcast. Had he offend the other birds? Were they rejecting him? What was his relationship with the other birds like. As human beings, you and I are social beings. Sure we need moments when we can be alone, but we also need to feel apart of other peoples’ lives. If only it were that simple.
Together & Apart
Our differences separate us from each other. They make us uniquely who we are. Sometimes our differences rightly define an aspect of who we are and they should not be compromised. However this is not always the case. Many times our differences fall into categories of preference or style. These types of differences don’t merit our separating from others. Differences over convictions do. Take some time to be clear about your convictions and your preferences. It will help you avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and separations. Careful reflection on this point could save you the pain of unnecessarily going it alone.
Even so, don’t loose heart. It’s better to stand alone and hold tight to your convictions than to compromise. Keep on keeping on. Eventually you will find people who share your values and you will be able to stop going it alone.
