Growth

If anyone were to go back through the deep archives of this personal blog, they would come across some...problematic opinions about things.

In the past I had a lot of intolerant and uncharitable opinions of social issues affecting others.

The last handful of years has really been a turnaround/wake up call for me.

The causes and triggers for change are varied and numerous, but the result is a me that is much more socially and politically progressive and my intolerance is now reserved for the intolerant.

So many people and organizations are excited and ready to restrict and minimize the lives of those that choose to do things that they don't approve of. As if the private lives of others require approval.

I leave those problematic posts up, because I don't believe in whitewashing my past mistakes. I own my mistakes and am trying to move forward.

I also leave them to give me something to compare myself to. Markers to indicate how far I've progressed. Besides, that was me. I'm different, now, but I existed then. I was a person and even if now-me would have had a hard discussion with then-me, then-me doesn't deserve to be erased.

Finally, I leave them to remind myself that just because someone feels a certain way now, doesn't mean they'll necessarily feel thatway in the future. People change, and it isn't good for anyone to just write them off. Not everyone is willing to listen in the moment, but maybe in the future.