Do you want to be right, or do you want the relationship?

This bit of advice came from my neighbor.   We all know someone who seems to have all the answers.  And it can be a wonderful thing if that person wants to "help" with their knowledge.  But it is another thing when that person wants to "change you" so that you believe or think like them.  My father used to say, "never talk about politics or religion".  Most people have been raised to be politically conservative or liberal, and are either strong in their faith or not.  Both topics seem to bring out polarizing views, and most times, you are not going to change the other person.  So this advice is about all topics where you think you are "right" but the other person in your "relationship" differs.  Do you want to sacrifice the relationship to be right, or do you want the relationship?  My husband has a friend who is worried about my husband's "salvation".  The friend doesn't think that my husband worships in a way that will get him into heaven.  The friend is about to sacrifice the relationship, because he won't let the subject go.   In that case, it is my husband who is about to "stay away" from the person who always thinks that their interpretation is "right".  But there are lots of successful married relationships where spouses have opposing views, but choose the relationship over being "right".  Again, using religion or politics as examples, there are many happily married couples where one spouse goes to one church, and the other goes to another.  They accept each other's "differences" and choose the relationship instead.  So when someone is always fighting with you because they have to be right, you can make a choice to ignore them, let them be right and chose the relationship, or you can walk away from the relationship.  Likewise, if you are the one who thinks YOU are right,  you have to decide if the other persons views are "wrong" enough for you to "walk away".  But a decision has to be made, "do you want to be right, or do you want the relationship?"