Freedom

I was listening to a song this morning and the words were sung “is there anybody out there like me?”  Far dinkum for me it is a resounding yes.  It has got to be that way.  I count on it.  If there is not, then for sure I am only talking to myself.
Yet mixing with others has shown me there are those like me out there.  Sounds weird but I reckon I am unique but the same.  There is no one out there that is me (to which I say – before anyone else can – “thank goodness.”)
But I do find it gratifying that I can share something, and other people relate.  Often they come back with a different take.  At that time, I find it easy to get my back up.  It is like I think my view of the world is the only valid one.
But it is not.  So often I consider what is related to me and find I embrace it.  That is actually one of the things I love.  Different perspectives.  Challenges.  I find that life is expanded by considering the views of others.
That is not to say I am tossed about and change my mind every time a different perspective is related to me.  Some things I discard while others I keep.  Everything is correlated with my frame of reference, and thankfully it has stood the test of time.
For sure it can be embarrassing though.  Being sure of myself and proven to be wrong is difficult to admit.  Yet I would rather that then carry a belief that is proven false.  It is a bad look for me and anyone else I have tried to convince I was right.  
Instead of a closed environment it is open.  That is the only way I can add something.  Adding something to an item that is closed is impossible.  I cannot add to a jar without taking the lid off.
The point for me is that something that is closed can only be altered if it is opened.
We have a worm farm.  The neighbour across the road gives us a small container of scraps occasionally.  They keep worms themselves.  They use bread.  We never do.  The only way I know there is bread, is by taking the lid off and removing it (I use gloves).  If I did not know that I would indiscriminately add to the pile of food. 
Perhaps the bread is not bad for them.  I don’t know.  What I do know is this is their second attempt while we are still on the first and the worms are thriving so we must be doing something right.
Sometimes we add stuff we have and need another container.  To me there is only freedom in openness.  Closed is as good as it gets.  Freedom is needing another container.