Close Minded People

It has come to my attention that when close-minded people disagree with you they accuse you of being close-minded. Or that when we are being close-minded we tend assume that the other person is, rather than own up to our own biases and shortcomings.
I know from the experience of having done it myself, that this is because we think we've investigated a matter thoroughly from every possible perspective. Our own opinions, therefore, are the most informed, most objective, and thus most correct. It does not occur to us that perspectives may exist outside of what our imaginations are able to conjure up for ourselves, and we even sometimes take great pains to avoid encounter with anything that may challenge our ignorance. If by chance we do enter some such encounter we write it off as uninformed.
I know that I, at least, have done this.

Thus do we successfully avoid the expansion of mind, heart, and general awareness that comes from greater knowledge. Where this occurs, we are being close-minded.
I sometimes am close-minded. I do not regard this as a bad thing, but as an ability to make decisions firmly and establish boundaries based on past experience, which is the only kind ever available to us.
However, I know that in general I am not close-minded, because I do not often make that accusation of those with whom I disagree. I assume that if anyone has an opinion it is based on his experience as my opinions are based on mine, and is therefore as valid to him as the experience that produced it is real.

Further, I assume that if one differs from me it is perhaps because his experiences have exposed him to perspectives and consideration of which I have been ignorant. Any difference of opinion is a chance to learn and by learning to better evaluate my own opinions, experiences, behaviour and character. I am willing to challenge my own beliefs. I no longer consider my own point of view to define the truth so I am eager to hear and understand others', for only by appreciating the experience of all people will we learn to live in harmony. This is how I am not close minded.

Thus I establish for myself both a definition guarded by personal boundaries and a willingness to alter that definition, that together characterize my struggle between ignorance and education. I must be challenged but I cannot be challenged too far or else I will be confused, overwhelmed, and I will either shut down or lose myself.
In any case I no longer resent being called close-minded. I now know the truth of it.

5 Tevet 5773