As an election that had no possibility of uniting a divided nation has come and gone, where in the world do we turn? How did we even get here, this place where fear and anger are clogging the media, where good people are beginning to give up on living in a nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all?
When did “love thy neighbor” become ‘only if they agree with you’ and “make me an instrument of thy peace” turn into a seemingly hopeless prayer?
I’ve been doing my best to keep politics from driving me to separation, but I’ve had plenty of moments of judgment and disillusionment over the state of our nation. My heart is breaking over the insensitivity I feel, even in my own neighborhood.
I truly don’t understand why people who welcome us into their homes & hearts would post a sign in their yard saying ‘let’s make the liberals weep’ while equating God with guns.
I’m already weeping…over the divisiveness of this election.
Love thy neighbor isn’t necessarily agreeing with thy neighbor, so I don’t have to accept that we will be on the same side. I’d even like to believe there are no sides, favoring the concept that round is a place we can ALL fit in and that we don’t have to choose sides to run a nation.
But the reality is that there’s a duality on earth, and there will always be side-taking and competition. Even a democracy does not give everyone an equal voice. We proved that with the last election where the electoral vote out-witted the majority.
So, how do we keep this election from causing even more separation, even more divisiveness, and hate?
We turn to wholeness, as LOVE.
Consider what the letters of the word LOVE might say if they could each speak about their unified meaning.
L might invite us to LISTEN even more deeply for what is True.
Listening deeply means being willing to be changed by what we hear, as I wrote in the happiness keys. It means attuning to the unlimited before we choose from our limited awareness. Listening deeply teaches us to hear more completely.
LOVE is willing to listen fully, without taking sides, as a first step in any conversation.
O might guide us to OPEN to a more unified way of seeing.
It might ask us to practice ‘round’ thinking, to look for the possibility that exists beyond what we can see on the surface. Open thinking trusts the bigger picture, knowing there are multiple perspectives in the multi-verse where we live.
LOVE is willing to look for the bridges between these differences.
V might look for a VIABLE CONNECTION between opposing forces.
Until I can find a way to connect to another’s perspective, I am still stuck in my own point of view. When there is no obvious point of connection, we must meet in the S P A C E between.
LOVE lives in the spaciousness, not in the crowded opinions that create seemingly unresolvable conflict.
E might remind us to stay ENTHUSED with finding answers.
It might ask us to focus on solution-thinking rather than staying focused on what’s wrong. Real solutions will require we join together to create a world that works for everyone, no matter who is leading or not-leading any single nation.
LOVE will absolutely move us into action, in positive ways that are for the whole, not for single-minded, self-made ambitions. When we are enthused with wholeness, LOVE never fails.
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So when a nation is becoming even more divided and the world is feeling broken in places we don’t quite know how to fix, where do we turn? We turn to Whole LOVE.
We let LOVE lead, no matter who is elected.
We let LOVE become a uniting force, by allowing it to surround everything that is happening, even when we strongly disagree. We ask LOVE to guide us to ACT with consciousness and compassion, as we move toward unity awareness in every choice and with every word.
I may still not fully understand my neighbor’s choice of signage, but I will keep doing my best to fully listen to their perspective and open to ways we can learn from one another, while I stay enthused about bringing my own perspective forward, with love and respect.
And I will continue to believe that the world is made of people who will eventually learn to live together in peace, harmony, with justice and liberty for all.
LOVE is the absolute most United State we can choose.
yes, Frank … we’re on the same page here, for sure.
Wonderful article. In my experience dialogue, not debate, not discussion, not speeches, not sound bytes, not tweets is the first step toward bridging the gap. There will never be 100% agreement and neither side will ever get 100% of what they want, however we can engage in dialogue to understand the reasons and rationale why each side is so “dug in.” Understanding does not mean agreement but it is the first step to finding a common ground.