I am no philosopher but I think I have stumbled upon the answer to world peace.

Next time you feel the urge to tell another adult you think their personal choices are bad/wrong/foolish/don’t jive with your system of belief/in some way offend you, try this exercise:

Shut your mouth. Walk away. Repeat as needed.

Now, I said personal choices. I don’t mean people should be free to murder or steal, kidnap or imprison others. But we have laws to prevent all that and police to enforce it.

When I say “personal choice” I mean everything from where people buy their groceries to the color they dye their hair, where they go on vaction, if they believe in Dr. Spock’s child rearing methods, where they attend church, who they marry, how many kids they do or don’t want, whether or not they breast feed said children, if they eat vegan, cook with gas, vote Republican, practice yoga, believe in the healing power of crystals, have a plastic surgeon on speed dial, support the Yankees, eat carbs, buy American, or prefer Jacob over Edward.

Think of all the in-law relationships that would be improved. Consider all the office environments instantly bettered by a lack of busy-body “concern” that borders on out-and-out hostility. Imagine the parent/adult child relationships that would no longer need to be estranged.

Envision world peace.

And keep your mouth shut.

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