The Joys of Being In The Middle

**Not my usual snarky attitude, but actually a somewhat thoughtful post.**


I am a middle-of-the-road type of girl. I love the word compromise. While I admit there is no way to keep everyone happy, I believe there is almost always a way for everyone to not be as unhappy as they would be otherwise.

I am reminded of my middle ways with the signing of Health Care Reform, and my friends’ posts on Facebook. I have friend on the far-right, the far-left, and everywhere in between. I’ve already seen a comments argument over health care. Today, I am thankful that my far-left friends and far-right friends are (usually) not friends with each other. And I am thankful to be friends with them all.

I often describe myself as a fence-sitter when it comes to hot issues. I can see both sides, and that makes it hard for me to choose just one side. Plus, most of the hot issues are ones that I just am not passionate about. (Bring up bras and finding your true size, then you’ll see me get passionate!) I have never been, and will never be, a political person. While I try to follow what is going on around me, I just can’t get worked up over it.

It’s not that I was raised a certain way, since my father is getting more and more conservative as he ages, and yet it is that I was raised a certain way. Let me explain. My parents taught me to survive, no matter what. Whatever life throws at me, I will find my way through to the other side. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger (yes, cliché, but I believe it).

So let’s look at Health Care Reform (HCR). In my opinion, I cannot control this. Sure, I can have my say, but I cannot control it myself. I can control my own personal circle, my personal life, so I will focus the majority of my energy there. It has taken me 29 years to understand that. If HCR is here to stay, I will make sure that I know how to get myself and my family through it. If it changes, I will still get through it.

Now, I’m not saying anyone should stop being passionate about politics or HCR. If you are passionate about it, follow your passion. But as long as my passion lays more along the lines of bras, books, and music, I will stay happily in the middle of the road, and keep my friends on either side of me.