Submitted by IA on
“I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now…” Joni Mitchell
She could have been describing the current social divides we see all around us. What is mostly shared is what mostly separates us: Fear, blame, helplessness and loss.
What we often forget is that all of us were truly helpless for the first years of our lives and needed the care, support and fix-it of someone bigger and stronger. But what do we need now?
Courage, which flows from the heart, certainly.
Acceptance that whether our differences are obstacles or assets depends on our chosen viewpoint; and acceptance of all lives as a birthright.
Forgiveness of self as a prerequisite for forgiving others.
All of these together won’t bridge all our our divides, but they will make it easier to stop adding to them.