One of the greatest regrets a person can have in life is the realization that an association or people force you to abandon who you are. It seems churches, politics or opinions make us want to conform to certain characterizations and to condemn those who don’t. In the past, I made decisions to abandon the “world” and leave valuable friends behind only to find that they were the only ones who really valued the person I am. Promises of deliverance are made to desperate people; those who are hungry, confused and insecure. But as life passes us by and we gain confidence, we find that certain people are missed and it was a terrible thing to let them go for any ideal.

That is why I value the individual. I don’t think we should allow people’s opinions stand in the way of our friends, acquaintances or dreams. Every person on this earth is valuable and should never be classified in groups like cattle. Each of us have our own dreams and passions but political and religious ideals hinder us from enjoying many of the good things that life has in store for us. They can keep us away from those who know us and from our dreams. What a tragedy.

Of course we do need unity to accomplish some things and to protect ourselves from larger groups but it should never be at the expense of the individual. In corporations, schools and governments alike, each person’s unique personalities should be celebrated along with their passions and skills. Associations should be a means to accomplish the dreams of each person involved and not just a chosen few. Individual desires need to be protected and cherished. Using a breadbox mentality destroys this.

The ability to blog and to communicate with others is the centerpiece of individual freedom. There is nothing worse than restrictions in communication even if they are our own. Never let other peoples ideals keep you from your dreams or separate you from those you care about.