Tolerant or Open-minded?

I'm sitting here alone in the dark and quiet. The 4 children, 4 dogs, and 5 chickens all asleep, after another hot day (105°, w/a heat index of 111°). It looked as if a storm was brewing, but other than a few claps of thunder, a bit of lightening, a nice cooling breeze and some clouds, nothing. No rain here at all. So i'm enjoying the breeze and peacefulness.

Something that's come up a few too many times lately, not to notice, is the subject of open-mindedness. Most people say they keep an open-mind, but really do they. Its a different thing to say you respect others opinions and views than actually having an open-mind.

Having an open-mind means being willing, and wanting to learn new things, ideas, view points. Of being open to growth, in all aspects of life. Being strict to one way or another, but in all honesty not being willing to grow, is not being open-minded. That is just being respectful and tolerant.

I was looking inside seeing where I am open-minded and where I am tolerant. For the most part when it comes to politics, I'm tolerant. When it comes to religion and spirituality, I'm open-minded. I am willing to take anything that makes me closer to my higher power and learn to use it to fit me. Whether that's a passage from the bible, or a quote from someone inspirational.

When it to modern medicine, I can be tolerant, but can border on closed-minded. But give me any natural healing advice and I am freely open to it.

There's are just a few ways where I can honestly say to myself "i am good about that, and need to work on that". Can you find, with honesty, where you are truly open-minded? Or where you are just tolerant?

Open-mindedness isn't really as easy as you think. And really there are not as many truly open-minded people out there as we think. And sadly I feel those numbers are dwindling, while conformity is rising.