whispered wind and cracked cement

people need to be better informed

I’ve heard this for years, especially on social media.

and I do agree

sometimes, however, the very people saying this are the ones that need to be better informed

Is that me?  You?  all of us?

probably all of us to some degree

I think almost everyone has the best of intents and wants to help others

i think we need to look at a few area

are we disbelieving people’s experiences in the name of “research”

aren’t people’s real experiences actually research?  Why do we often dismiss someone’s experience by saying, “that’s just a rare case, the research shows differently.”

that could be true…but that phrase is used often to dismiss and even gaslight people’s lived experiences in the name of “research”

Or whatever else.

when do people’s experiences count?  when it’s one?  A hundred?  A thousand?  A million?

when does that make us “look” better at what the research is telling us.

sometimes it’s where we put our trust

some people believe firmly in what research or praised institutions say.  I’m not saying this is wrong.

some people trust their gut or intuition

some people trust their religious leaders

some their parents or siblings

I’m not arguing any of that as wrong, but often if we look at HOW we think, that plays a big part into why we believe the way we do.

honestly, I think we have to use everything that’s available to us.

The research.  All of it.  From different sources.  Compare, discern.

Our intuition.  This is highly disregarded as being unreliable but intuition is just a knowing before our mind catches up.  It is invaluable in making decisions and has been around forever for a reason

intuition is different than ego or pride or false belief

and we need to look at the people right in front of us and understand and be curious where they’re coming from without dismissing them or not seeing them.

we are divided sometimes because we look to “experts” at all costs before we see the impacts the person right in front of us is carrying.

I also believe two things can be true at once.

Not that truth is relative the way we have been taught, but that there are levels and layers of truth all over the place.  That takes wisdom and discernment