Stay In Your Own Lane

 I have an idea for this new year, and for always.

How about if we all stay in our own lane and mind our own business?

If I choose not to eat pork, that's my business and nobody else's. Don't tell me that i's OK to ear pork just once. No, it isn't.

If I choose to buy an American car rather than an import, that is my business. If I choose to have my dogs sleep in my bedroom but not on my bed, that is not anybody else's business. If I choose not to drink alcohol -- you got it -- that is my business alone. If I follow a particular religion that isn't yours, accept my decision and move on. I shouldn't have to, and I won't, justify or explain my decision. If I support a woman's right to choose and you think abortion should be illegal, we should agree to disagree. YIf yu love shrimp and I think shrimp are disgusting, great. Your choice is no more correct than is mine. 

See how easy that is? You live your life and let me live mine. If we all did that, the world would be a much nicer, happier, more stress-free place. 

And truth be told, we are not likely to convince others to not eat pork or to buy only American cars or to convert to a particular religion. The only way to force others to follow the same things we follow is by force. And most of us don't want to be forced to do anything. And we certainly don't want to have our choices removed or even limited.

So if I choose to adopt a dog rather than buy one from a breeder, that is my choice. If you choose to purchase a purebred dog from a reputable breeder, that is your choice as well.

We are fortunate to live in a nation where, for the most part, we are free to make our own choices. But sadly, ultra right-wing forces are hard at work trying to take many choices away from us. They are trying to dictate how teachers can teach certain subjects, or which books can be offered in libraries, or when or if women give birth. 

This is wrong on myan many levels. Freedom of choice is one of things that has made this nation great. I don't want to be told how to vote, or which books I can read, or which kind of dog I can have, or where my dogs should sleep.

I want to have my freedoms to choose. And I suspect most people do, too.