Can We Tolerate Love?

Is tolerance the best word -- the highest attitude -- that we can think of when we consider living around people not like ourselves? The word conjures in my mind an image of someone holding their nose while swallowing something foul-tasting; I must wonder if others have this same image. Maybe not. It could be that in recent years, the concept of tolerance has been taught in such as way as to connote people working together.

Let’s be honest: what we’re really talking about when we use the word tolerance, is love. It’s love that enables us to step outside of ourselves and fully embrace the humanity and equality of others. But I suppose we stay away from that word because it conjures images of people hugging.

So then, the word tolerance is easier for us to swallow than the word love. But if all we strive for is tolerance, we may never learn to love each other. And I believe it’s self-sacrificing love, not tolerance, that will end racism, poverty, and war.