Respecting Others' Opinions

Today, I want to share a simple but powerful lesson about respecting others' opinions.

This lesson came to me during my time at Gallaudet University, the only four-year liberal arts university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

I was one of about 100 hearing students in the master’s program, but honestly, I didn’t feel very accepted at first. Most of the students had hearing loss, and this was a space where they felt understood and supported. To them, my presence as a hearing person felt like an intrusion.

I remember going to the campus laundromat one day and getting bawled out:

"You shouldn’t be here. This isn’t your university."

Ouch. It was condemning. I felt rejected and out of place.

But later, I realized something important. Their reaction wasn’t really about me — it was their own story. They had worked hard to be in a place where they felt safe and understood. I was intruding on their territory.

That experience taught me to respect their perspective. I didn’t need to take their reaction personally. Instead, I could choose to understand where they were coming from and love them for who they were and where they were in their journey.

So, if you find yourself on the receiving end of someone else’s story and it feels tough, try to love the person from where they are.

Recognize that their experience, their story, is different from yours, and that’s okay. We don’t have to agree with everyone, but we can choose to honor their journey and respect their opinion. In doing so, we create a more compassionate and understanding world.

Respecting others isn’t about agreeing with them — it’s about acknowledging their journey and choosing to respond with love and empathy.

I hope you have an amazing day!