The Gates of Hell ~ Auguste Rodin

The saying “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” immediately sprung to mind when I saw this incredible piece of art at Musée d’Orsay in Paris...

​We are so often blithely unaware of the hurt we may inadvertently be causing others and the chaos we leave in our wake, as we stubbornly plough on with our “good intentions” and our self-righteous convictions that we know better than the next person, and that our truth is the only truth that matters.

When did we become so fearful of open communication? And of hearing views that may contradict what we’ve come to believe? When did it become commonplace to completely “cancel” or write someone off for having different beliefs to us? Or for making mistakes?

Perhaps it’s time we respond with curiosity the next time we hear an opinion or view we don’t agree with. Instead of completely shutting down the opportunity for open discourse, perhaps we should try to understand where other people are coming from and how they came to have views so different from our own.

How are we meant to grow and expand if we don’t step outside of our comfort zone and have those difficult, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations?

For many years I have often avoided having difficult conversations and sharing what is truly on my mind, for fear of damaging my relationships with other people. But the truth is that if those connections can be damaged by open, honest conversation, then they weren’t built on a solid foundation anyway.

I’d rather have difficult conversations in the name of being honest and speaking my truth, than to sacrifice my opportunity to speak my mind in the thinly veiled hope that it will preserve such seemingly fragile relationships, as it is.