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Lately I find myself cringing when someone wants to talk politics.It seems like political discussions put us all on edge these days, especially with the election nearing.
				I see it in my own house.
				My husband and I rarely discuss politics, because we disagree. It doesn&rsquo;t mean we don&rsquo;t love each other; it just means we agree to disagree on that particular topic. Differing political views do not have to end friendships or make enemies on social media. They don&rsquo;t have to be something we avoid conversations about either. I believe it&rsquo;s our differences that make us more interesting.
				I think for some of us the lines between Democrat and Republican are blurred. While I definitely lean in one direction and my friends all know it, it doesn&rsquo;t mean I don&rsquo;t agree with some of the ideologies of the opposing party. It&rsquo;s probably like that for many of us.
				That divisive political sign
				I live in a quiet neighborhood &mdash; not too many political signs, mostly the diehards who keep their signs up year-round.
				I made the bold move of putting a political sign in my yard a few weeks ago. It&rsquo;s visible because we live on a corner triangle.
				My husband was not happy. I told him he was more than welcome to put up his own sign and we could put a Mr. above his and a Mrs. above mine. Within days of my sign going up, many neighbors around me put up opposing signs.
				I obviously started a movement. Now when we walk our dogs at night, my husband feels the need to tell everyone with a sign for his candidate that he doesn&rsquo;t agree with me and that the sign in our yard is mine. I just chuckle. Do these opposing signs mean my neighbors think any less of me or me of them? Absolutely not. Or at least I hope that&rsquo;s the case. It&rsquo;s just each of us trying to express ourselves.
				In this time of rising tensions, we all feel the need to do something. If that something is simply putting up a sign in support of a candidate we believe in, there&rsquo;s nothing at all wrong with that, especially if it makes us feel better.
				Politics among friends 
				Just like with my husband, many of my friends also have political views that differ from mine.
				You know what? That&rsquo;s okay.
				We&rsquo;re all still friends. I may not agree with them, and we may have some lively political debates when we go out for dinner, but we realize that despite our differences, we all love each other. I have some acquaintances on social media who are even more adamant in their political beliefs and frankly get a bit nasty about it.
				You know what? I still like them.
				I know that deep down they are good people who would do anything for me. They know who I support and what I believe, and I really don&rsquo;t think they like me any less. The fact that we stand up and support something or someone makes us all respect each other a little more.
				In this time of polarized politics remember that respect is key. Respect for your friends, respect for your neighbors, and respect for those with differing views. If you are passionate about your beliefs and feel the need to express yourself, try to stay civil and focus on a constructive dialogue. People around you will be more apt to listen.

Life at Full Throttle: A home divided by differing political views