Developing a Culture of Peace through Tolerance

"Damn it! You are at it again. What exactly is your problem with picking things that do not belong to you? You are never contented with what you have until you have picked people's things behind them. A shameless pilferer you are!" Jane said as she yelled at her roommate, Vivian.

Vivian is an extravagant lady who lives a life that is far expensive than what she's worth. She only makes mouth in the public but go about perching on other people's property. After Vivian refused to turn a new leaf upon series of sermon against her immodest lifestyle, Jane, her roommate could not but speak out with anger.

Like the short story above, there are so many human behaviours, opinions and personalities that easily piss us off. Human beings are that unique set of creatures with diverse interests, personalities, likes and dislikes. Meanwhile, whether we like it or not, we must cooperate and put up with other people despite diverse philosophies and point of views because no one can achieve success in isolation.

Tolerance is difficult but peaceable. It is simply the act of coping with other people's interests and behaviors which makes them feel accepted, loved and valued. It is a deliberate act of ignoring things that are capable of promoting violence. That is, tolerance is not advocated because it is easy or because we cannot feel the unpleasantness of people's behaviors but it is encouraged because peace must by all means be established.

We find it difficult to tolerate others because of pride, narrow mindedness (the belief that other things cannot be right except one) and blind selfishness.

We cannot always avoid people. Many a times we will inevitably relate with people who have opposing views and people whose characters could be annoying or disgusting. All we need at such times is to have a heart of tolerance.  Intolerance opens the door for argument, contention and malice. Peaceful coexistence cannot gain a good ground if we fail to tolerate the people around us. Here are some of the tips to remember when you are struggling with tolerance;

1. You have your own weakness: Remember that someone somewhere is also tolerating you no matter how little or insignificant you think your weakness is. You cannot be without any fault. Do not think yourself better than the person you are dealing with. If others are tolerating you, then you have no excuse to be intolerant.

2. Think of why people act the way they do: Do not be in the habit of passing the buck. Don't just go about blaming people of every negative habit they exhibit. Some behaviors are inherited while some are acquired through unpleasant circumstances. Don't just think of the proximal cause of an act, go to the root of why someone is acting in a particular way. You will be shocked to realize that some people evolved to be who they are today because of the experience they've had in the past. In short, when you know where someone's problem stems from, you can devise a means of helping such. Be considerate and don't be judgmental.

3. Respect the view of others: Sometimes, what we need to tolerate may not be an habit or behavior but people's opinions about things. You cannot always be right. Others too may give useful suggestions which you must tolerate. Do not act like you are the Lord of all wisdom. Respect people's views. Don't be narrow minded, rather be broadminded. The latter will save you pointless arguments.

4. Think of the outcome of violence: Inability to tolerate others will bring about strife even when you are justified, and once there is strife, violence comes in and malice too may eventually gain root. Issues become more elaborate and serious than what it is when we cannot tolerate people. If we think of how much violence will rob from us, we will do everything to just ignore certain things and let go.

5. Do it for the sake of your mental health: Nothing good comes out of violence. Our emotional wellness is at stake when we fail to make peace with people. The body, soul and mind become sick and restless when there is an issue of conflict on view. Happiness cannot reside in a troubled or disturbed mind. Improve the quality of your mental health by quitting bothering your head over things that will not add to or subtract anything from your success. In fact, this is one of the ways to be at peace with yourself. Invest that energy in something that will be productive rather than arguments and contentions.

The conclusion of the matter is that, to tolerate does not mean we cannot correct people with bad habits if need be, it only means we must do that out of love and with the hope that such person will change. We must consciously stay positive about it.

We need to observe difficult but simple rules to achieve peace.

Visit Peace Enhancement Initiative on Facebook for more tips.

Be at peace with everyone.