Dialectics Activity

I had a conversation with a peer student. We introduced ourselves and found that while we had some differences, we had a lot more in common. We discussed our families, our health, our religion, and our politics.

She was a second-generation Texan from Mexico. She quit her job to take care of her ailing father, her mother had died a couple years earlier. She had an older brother, now deceased, so she is alone as the caregiver. We talked about how she was raised, specifically how her culture has the expectations of family taking care of family, no matter the circumstance. I remarked that more often than not, children push the care-taking to institutions. I, unfortunately, being among that number. It helped me to realize that there are probably quite a few adult children who had no choice but to look to outside help for their aging parents, just as I had. I grew up as the middle child of nine: four brothers and four sisters. I have six children and I teach full time.

We discussed our health problems, her with Marfans Syndrome and I with Type II Diabetes. We both realized that we tend to put others in front of our own medical needs, when in fact we need to take care of us so we can be ready to take care of our loved ones.

I spoke up and told her that I am an outspoken Christian who will not back down or be silent when the opportunity presents itself for me to share my testimony. She, on the other hand, replied that while she believed in God, she was not one to speak out. She goes to a non-denominational church, to which I said that one of my best times at a church was when I was a member of a non-denominational one. One of my biggest problems is keeping my viewpoints to myself! But, when I hear someone saying something that is contrary to my beliefs, well, I tend to say something as well. This leads me to my final point, the difference in our politics.

My peer is quite satisfied to listen to other points of view and silently agree or disagree. She seems to be all about keeping peace...which is something I need to learn to do! I am staunchly conservative, or more to the point, a libertarian where she leans to the Democratic side. She did qualify her statement by saying that there is much she disagrees with on both sides, which I concur.

As I stated at the beginning, we do have our disagreements, but we both love people and find that we have much in common. It was a very pleasant conversation and I can only hope I can call on her again!