Mary Pearson

Loose Lips Sink Ships

A friend of mine and I decided to take a walk and catch up, for its easy to let friendships
simmer on the back burner while you deal with the boiling water of schoolwork. The grass
crunched under our feet as we voiced our beliefs, the deserted school courtyard making the
solidarity of our small world complete. Neither of us knew where the other one stood on
controversial affairs such as religion and the political issues of the time, but we were about to
find out. We found a quiet, tranquil place to sit out of the direct sunlight. The beauty of the
rustling trees and the tricks of the light fostered one of the most open conversations of my life.
At first, due to negative experiences in the past, neither one of us wanted to admit our
opinions; however, as time went on, our lips slowly loosened. We agreed that radicals on either
side of any argument are ridiculous and wrong. They give a bad name to everybody who has
the same views and give the other side of the argument legitimate reasons to scoff and say how
closed-minded they are. By todays standards, both of us were moderates, though I was more
inclined to be conservative, and she was more inclined to be liberal. I disliked radical
conservatives that condemned sinners, for God is love. People that had similar opinions on
political issues as me, such as pro-life and anti-gay marriage, often condemned others that
believed differently instead of accepting everyone and letting God judge. We are all sinners. No
one is perfect, and all sins are equal in Gods eyes. I knew many people that had grown up in
church, only to be turned off by the judging Christians. It hurt my heart how strong and
rebuking some people were; though their hearts were in the right place, they turned people
away from what we believe is the truth. I believe that neither gay marriage nor abortion should
be legal, but I do not hold anyone in different esteem if they believe the opposite.
My friend listened to what I had to say and was curious about my opinions but did not
criticize my words. She was happy that someone else treated peoples opinions the same way
she did. She went on to tell me that she believed in gay rights and womens rights, and how
women should have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, including whether to
abort their baby or not. She believed that everyone should have equal rights regardless. I asked
if she believed abortion was murder, and she didnt really know what to say. She was strong in
her beliefs and accepted things on faith since she did not have all the answers, as no one really
does. She didnt judge anyone else by their opinions on issues, the way so many others do.
Our like attitude toward people spurred on the conversation, branching off into abstract
thoughts and internal concerns. We traveled to a place of complete honesty, not looking at each
other, for that would make this all real. If we looked away from the patterns of leaves or the
gnarled wood on the fence we leaned on, reality would commence and break the spell. We told
each other things we had only thought in the darkest places of our minds, things we swore we
would never say aloud. Even though we felt differently on most topics, we found a common
ground, our love for people.
Our attitudes and emotions were alike: we loved people regardless, even when we had
opposite views. That day the friendship we shared grew from casual to deep and trusting. This
girl is one of my best friends, and I dont know what Id do without her.