What is Reality?
There are things we know and things we don't know. There are also things that we think we know, but are false. Things we know include, cloudless skies are blue, being loved feels good, cement is hard, water is wet, etc. Things we think we know, but are really false, might include the world is flat, people that think differently from us are wrong, life needs to be hard, etc.
Beliefs, assumptions and misinformation
In life you will notice that everyone has different beliefs about what is reality. Some of these things are correct and others aren't. We often do not know which is which. We take other people's word for many things in life. Sometimes they know what they are talking about, and sometimes they don't. In my opinion much of what we believe, assume or are told is fact, is really misinformation and not true. Fortunately we have the ability to change our minds about things and create a new reality for ourselves.
Who or what to trust?
There is so much we do not know, and so much that we think we know - but don't, and so much that other people think they know - but don't. This makes me very cautious about believing anything that I am told on an intellectual level. I think in many cases trusting our hearts (or "gut feelings") is much more beneficial than relying on our intellect. Even the experts on particular subjects are consistently proven wrong.
We each get to choose our reality
The main point is that we need to be careful about imposing our beliefs on other people. We each have the right to choose what is right for us and at the same time we must be tolerant of other people's opinions and beliefs. There are many ways of looking at life. Choosing an open-minded, optimistic, happy outlook on life will be most gratifying.
Choose a life of peace, love and joy!
We can change our reality by changing our minds about things. If someone harms us, we have a choice of hating them and expending lots of energy contemplating revenge or self-pity, or forgiving them and letting that energy be used for more constructive purposes. If our beliefs cause us to be defensive or overly critical of others, becoming more tolerant and understanding of other people's beliefs may make our lives more peaceful and joyful.
I wish for you a life filled with love, joy, peace and prosperity, secure in the knowledge that there are many ways of looking at life. You have the ability to create the best possible life for yourself.