Pride month and the current political climate have both made me reflect on my ideological journey throughout the years. I grew up in a very small, faith-oriented town in Texas, and only since my sophomore year of high school have I been exposed to a more urban, secular, diverse range of viewpoints to learn from and evaluate in regards to my own views. It is no secret that my own views are very leftist in nature, however, the most important lesson that I have learned in my (very short) lifetime is the importance of one thing: tolerance. Regardless of whether you are a die-hard Republican or as far left as it gets, tolerance is the one common denominator that we all need to include in our own ideologies to create a better world for all of us to live in. Here's why.

Tolerance = Listening and understanding.

One of the most common problems that I think is experienced by anyone in any kind of debate, whether political, ethical or just plain stupid, is the absence of willingness to listen to the viewpoints of another perspective. I am one of the most stubborn people I know; I have always had a problem with a lack of willingness to even consider changing my views on many particular subjects. However, recently, I've made a conscious effort to try to understand where the opposing person in an argument is coming from. What is their background? What experiences have shaped their lives in a way that has caused their perspective to be so very different than my own? Asking questions like these can help to create a less stressful, more beneficial conversation about whatever point is being argued. Think of it as a way to turn arguments into discussions. Tolerance doesn't mean you have to change your mind, it just means you need to at least consider that maybe there are other valid viewpoints besides your own.

Tolerance makes the world a better place.

Quite often, the news informs us of shocking and heartbreaking realities in our world, and many people I know always ask the same question, "How could this happen? How could a person do this to another person?" I do genuinely believe that a major issue that creates violence and hatred between many different groups and communities is a lack of understanding and caring for others. Bigotry is terrible, and sadly, it is unavoidable. Although one person changing their ways of thinking and becoming more open-minded may not create an amazing, profound wave of change and peace, it could set an example and have a sort of ripple effect, teaching others that tolerance is the best option in reducing hate, and in the end, if it means you could change even one person's life for the better, it's worth it to change your own thought patterns in order to create that positive effect.

Kindness is powerful, and kindness is born out of understanding and empathy.

Tolerance means tolerating, however, with tolerance, there should always come empathy as well. While it is true that some people are impossible to empathize with, especially when their actions and even personalities seem to be born out of malice, for the most part, understanding and empathy can be found for people who have perspectives on issues that you may not agree with. Furthermore, it is extremely important to empathize with marginalized communities. One example is the LGBTQ+ community. Some individuals believe that this community of people is participating in a "lifestyle" that does not correlate with their religious convictions. One reality of this situation is that these people may find it hard to find it in their hearts to accept the rising strength of LGBTQ+ communities and their newfound prevalence and progress in today's society. However, rather than two groups continually fighting and refusing to listen to (or in some cases, even interact with) the other group, it would be much less strenuous for both groups to simply empathize with one another, especially in the case of those who disagree with the LGBTQ+ "lifestyle," as the LGBTQ+ population is one that has had to endure