It seems like everyone has an opinion.

You do.

I do.

Your best friend has them as does your co-workers and well, everyone.

With Facebook and other social media, we tend to share those with the world.

People will tell you their positions on gay marriage, gun control, the president, eating meat, or whatever.

And sure enough, you’re bound to find out that someone you thought you liked, has a different opinion than you on something.

Sorry, but that’s the way it’s always been.

Coke versus Pepsi.

Cats versus Dogs.

Country versus Hip Hop.

Okay on that last one, I actually worked for a radio station that played Hip Hop and we did music nights at a Country bar for awhile.  We called it Hick-Hop.

Do yourself and everyone else a favor.

Stop focusing on the differences as divisions.

If you can’t handle the fact that your friend is anti-Pepsi, then the problem might be you.

Don’t take their opinions personally.

I repeat, Don’t take their opinions personally.

Next, don’t spread the hate.

We have plenty of paid professionals who color our world with their slant on the news to fill the 24/7 cable news channels, radio airwaves and the web and each of them has their own opinion.

You know the difference between saying “I prefer Pepsi over Coke” and “I can’t stand Coke, I wish all the Coca-cola plants and all of their people would die in hell.”

Like I said, don’t spread the hate.

So what should your reaction be if someone has an opinion that is contrary to yours?

You have a choice.

You can decide to ignore those differences.

You can decide to discuss these differences, if you adopt an attitude of understanding the others persons views and why they have those views.

But if you are going to be argumentative then you’ve just crossed the line and become one of those annoying Facebook Friends yourself.

I have friends who are liberal, conservative, and non-political.

I have friends who are Pro-Choice and others who are Pro-Life.

I have friends who are ranters about their views.

I decide how to handle those relationships.

I decide to focus on the positive common ground instead of laying down in the stinky mud.

Do I care about the topics I’ve mentioned?  Mostly yes, sometimes no.

But I care about the people first.