What does the saying “One’s heart being in the right place” mean to you?

I think it means that both parties wish the best outcome and understanding between them occurs. A good heart.

Considering most issues are multi faceted, one person considers one aspect as more important than the aspect another person considers most important.

Consider, “I want my child to learn the most varied things through exploring what most interests him/her” versus “I want my child to be protected from the evils of the world and not be exposed to things like drugs and sex.”

A parent saying either of those cannot be faulted for intent.

Honesty. When two people with opposing views have their hearts in the right place, both feel, honestly, that what they believe is right and just.

This is what came to my mind. Mother’s Day. My son was 4. He had a present for me. We couldn’t afford wrapping paper so we used news paper.
My boy combed the paper looking for just the right image. He wrapped it himself. Then he shyly, but proudly, handed it to me. Adorned in the center was a pretty lady….it was an ad for Jezzebel’s, which was strip joint! I treasured that bit of paper for years.

I really don’t know.

There may be some truth to the notion that people in conflict might share some unrecognized common goal or understanding – But if they’re not motivated to respect each other and work to discover that connection, then the idea is meaningless.

In the real world what defines all of us is what we say and what we do. Unspoken feelings, and beliefs we don’t match with action aren’t much better than trivia.

Someone wrote “The human heart is decietful in all things. Who can know it?” I think that makes sense.

Yes, it’s possible. It’s also possible for two people to have opposing or different views and both be right.

@JLeslie I agree. You and I have disagreed often and always talked it out.

@JLoon Key word ‘respect’, yes. That makes a huge difference.

Honestly, that phrase has a negative connotation for me. Whenever I hear “His/her heart is in the right place”, it’s usually coming from a conservative who tells a liberal that progressive policies mean well, but wouldn’t actually work in reality.

Yet, every other modern country has a form of single payer healthcare…

You have good intentions.

I think the saying itself means that the person, (or even persons with opposing views) have good intentions for an outcome, but are not doing the best/correct/helpful/useful thing to bring about a good outcome.

An example of opposing views: both parents want to raise healthy, responsible children, but one parent doesn’t want to allow their child to pick their own friends, or to go to any events with other kids that they deem “questionable”. Another parent might let their child hang around with whomever their child chooses, maybe without vetting those kids or their families, and lets their child participate in events without knowing who else might be there, or what else might be taking place at said event.

The first parent doesn’t trust their own child to make good decisions, and stunts their child’s sense of self-worth, and the second parent doesn’t want to stifle their child’s autonomy, but fails to teach them how to be safe.

Both of these examples of parenting techniques are likely to cause problems (different problems) for their children, but their hearts are in the right place, even if they ultimately end up doing a disservice for their kids.

Thanks jellies! Much appreciated all your responses.