Influential Person #5

   I’m not exactly sure who influenced me to be more accepting of others. I think many events and people changed my views on tolerance. Lonesomeness and solitude is an unavoidable trepidation of every adult and adolescent. We all yearn for acceptance and popularity. Yet we still judge and refuse to accept others for who they are. Accepting others and their differences is the fastest way to accept ourselves for who we are inside. Often times the way we act around other people is the complete opposite of how we are on the inside. We change ourselves to be accepted by our friends and classmates. The world would be a much more interesting place if we expressed our own individuality and didn’t conform just to be accepted. True friends accept you for who you are inside and outside. They don’t care about what clothes you wear, how good your grades are, or how much money you have in the bank.

   One event that changed my perspective on tolerance was meeting my friend Becca. Becca was by no means the most popular one in the school. She blended into the background, shy but outgoing around her friends. Not many people, including me, paid her much attention. She didn’t wear the typical Abercrombie & Fitch clothes or stand out in a crowd. When I was partnered up with her for a project, I was dreading it. Once I got to know her, she was suddenly a totally different person. Suddenly it didn’t matter what clothes she wore or how outgoing she was. I realized that she was probably one of the most compassionate individuals ever. She never said a mean word against anybody or judged a person based on looks. Ultimately, she made me a better person; I learned lessons on tolerance that I will value for my entire life. 


Bibliography:
Photograph. Nacel Open Door. 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.     <http://nacelayp.com/  2010/11/16/international-day-for-   tolerance/>.