I am aggressively supportive of my passive nature. There is nothing wrong with being patient. That is an opinion disguised as a fact, but it should be considered. While some lean towards aggression, I have always been one to reserve my thoughts until the situation clears enough for me to give an honest opinion. That is a fancy and logical way of saying, I believe in the power of doing nothing. In certain situations, it can be beneficial, if not tactical, to do nothing. Not necessarily waiting for a situation to fix itself, but instead allowing yourself a moment of clarity: to think.

So why is it that being passive is often seen as being weak or flimsy? Because sometimes a situation calls for action. An immediate response can be the only solution. So, it starts to become the norm to expect quick thinking. There is a certain reliability for a person who is able to make decisions quickly and stick to them. The danger comes when someone can’t adjust their idea to that right and wrong. Most people, at least in this humble writer’s eyes, have a problem with extremes. Black or white. The ideological problem with an ideologue. The inability to change. Where a well-rounded individual would have the ability to act quickly. There are positives and negatives for both thought processes.

My name is Bennett Richardson. I am 17 years of age and I recognize that I don’t know everything. In fact the overwhelming abundance of things i don’t know is clear. But I do believe this: where there is reliability in sticking to a quick decision, there is also strength in knowing when one needs to sit back and think about the right choice.