Hello Neighbor

Categories: Blog Nov 13, 2016

We live in an interesting time. I guess truly every generation does and believes they do, but lately this world has become very interesting. Perhaps you are acutely aware that we've just had an election here in the US. Perhaps you are very disappointed with the results. Perhaps you are elated by them. If you watch the news, or even if you only watch social media, the theme is US versus THEM. WE are right. THEY are wrong. WE fight for equality. THEY fight for fear.

Here is the thing; WE are THEY and THEY are WE. Sometimes things don't workout the way we think they should. Sometimes things go horribly wrong. Sometimes things are complicated, messy, unattractive, unfortunate, or whatever. Sometimes we don't agree with our neighbors. Sometimes we don't understand our neighbors. Sometimes we may even esteem our neighbors as crazy. But they are our neighbors.

Our country is hurting. We are a collection of the offended, hurt, angry, self-righteous, religious, non-religious, opinionated, educated, non-educated, white, black, tan, yellow, cream, pale, dark, right-winged, left-winged, straight, gay, abrasive, passive, know it alls, know nothings, conservatives, liberals, fear mongers, haters, lovers, the USes and the THOSE PEOPLEs. We're just a mess. One big divided mess of neighbors.

But that is the thing. We are neighbors. At least we are supposed to be. I certainly don't mean to trivialize anything going on in our country, or our world. We do have our issues - no doubt. But at the end of the day, at the start of the day, throughout the entire day we are supposed to be neighbors.

I don't have all the answers to all the issues we have as a country. But I do have ONE answer: Love - real love. Not "love" in word, but love in deed. Love in action. Love that allows us to look through a lens of compassion and understanding. Love that allows us to listen and ponder. Love that allows us to see outside of ourselves to a bigger picture. Love that allows us to be neighbors. WE are THEY, THEY are WE. If we maintain the stance that is is US against THEM, Republicans against Democrats, or even "Love" against Hate, we lose and we will ultimately fail and fall as a country.

Yes, things do need to change, but change born through empathy, compassion and understanding is going to be a far greater, impactful change, than a change born through rigid division of opinion. Again, I don't have the answers, I just have the answer. We need to love our neighbors. We need to see people with hopes, dreams, families, ideas, and perspectives. We don't need to agree with each other, but we do need to SEE each other.

Beautiful art is made beautiful by all the differences it contains. Colors, shapes, textures, shadows - the differences make the beauty. Look above at all the differences I listed and add the ones i didn't. It is our differences that should make us beautiful, and they can - If we learn to love.

I know Love is a fairy tale. And what i've written is a childish utopian thought in a real adult's world. But I also know Love does heal the soul just like movement does heal the body. Love is a movement. It is the only movement that will carry us forward and heal us. It might be a childish idea, but children seem to be able to see things without prejudice. Until they are taught differently, they generally see things through a lens of love, light and hope. We would do so well to return to that way of seeing and being. After all, we are neighbors.

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