Seeking Truth and Crossing Divides
Love is the Truth. It is our origin, our purpose, and our destiny.
Hello Beautiful Beings!
I recently flew down from Washington to visit my best friend, Scott, in Colorado. It was a truly magical, and deeply meaningful time! And, do you want to know what the most miraculous part was? Although Scott and I do not see eye-to-eye politically—and still chose to talk about our government and collective life together a good bit—after the trip, we are closer than ever!
To put it differently: While society currently tells us that political difference equals opposition—wherein, one side is “right” and the other is “wrong”—we’ve decided to let love move us beyond this tribalistic and violent impulse. Granted, it’s certainly not always easy; but Scott and I choose to remain committed to our friendship, devoted to love, curious and open-minded, and to truly hear and listen to one another.
I share this because, in a world/nation that can sometimes seem irreconcilably polarized—I’m here to declare: That is fake news!
I don’t say this lightly. I viscerally feel the angst and discomfort of being with someone who sees, engages, and votes in the world differently than I do … deeply. Yet, when I “step-back,” breathe, consider, and ask Scott kind questions about why he see things the way he does—light bulbs go off in my head, and I realize: We really aren’t so different after all. And, isn’t that the way it goes? To paraphrase the Dr. Brené Brown’s research: When we lean in and get to know one another, our “differences” have a habit of melting away into understanding and love.
(Scott and I camping and enjoying creation on the trip)
The voice(s) that tell us to divide, polarize, and fight with others, are dead wrong. The Truth is: We are here to unite, commune, and flourish together—with the rainbow-like beauty of all our uniqueness, diverseness, and sameness.
After a long discerning process in the 1990s (a topic for another blog), I got my bachelor’s degree in History. Since I was/am especially fond of ancient history, I later went on to get a Masters in Ancient History. I mention this because: Throughout all of history, there have been liberals and conservatives. Why? Because both not only belong, but are needed and necessary.
With that in mind, let’s take a deep breath in together … step-back … and take a good look at reality. Can we agree, there are things in our individual, communal, and collective lives that are worth preserving? Like love, kindness, care, compassion, understanding, togetherness, empathy, forgiveness, grace, and the Truth they represent. And, let’s not forget the tangible experiences of shelter, provision, health care, equality, and overall wellness these bring! This is the goodness of the conservative, Republican, and right-wing impulse that is—at least in part—in all of us.
Likewise, can we agree there are also things in our individual, communal, and collective lives that we need to move on from, create, transform, etc.? Take division, hate, violence (of thought, word, and deed), greed, arrogance, abuse, racism, and sexism, for instance. I’d imagine we can agree getting rid of mass shootings, ending oppression, and providing greater care and equal opportunities for everyone, are worth the effort. This is the goodness of the liberal/progressive, Democratic, and left-wing impulse that is—at least in part—in all of us.
With these both in mind, a lyric from the Indigo Girls comes to mind:
There’s more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
And the less I seek my source for some definitive …
Closer I am to fine
~ From the Indigo Girls’ “Closer to Fine”
Like most people, I hold certain beliefs, ideals, and opinions, because I think they’re right. And, over the years, many of these have changed. And, many other people see things differently than I currently do. In other words: While there is Truth, the majority of what I consider “true” is not universally so. Or, to paraphrase the Indigo Girls: The less sure and certain we are about our plethora of opinions, hot takes, viewpoints, and such, the closer to wellness and wholeness we move.
One could say the less we hold to be “True”, the closer we get to the Truth: Love, the divine action of giving of oneself for individual and collective flourishing.
Let’s think about this in physical terms. While a bit of healthy tightening, clenching, and flexing is good and healthy; contracting your muscles too often, or for too long, becomes damaging and exhausting. Ideologically, I think we’re collectively damaging and exhausting ourselves.
Along those lines, I’ve heard “sin” defined as to curve in on yourself. The more we curve in and contract around our own personal views, the more we close ourselves off from others, the world, and Love. I know when I’ve lived like that, not only have I suffered, I’ve inflicted suffering on others! How about you?
Side note, imagine a person who, like a contortionist, keeps curving in on their self. Where does their head end up? Now, compare the image of a person clenched and curled in on their self, to one of a person with an open hear, face, palms, and body. Which is a picture of health and wellness? Individually, communally, and tribally, then: The key, in this regard, to crossing our cultural divides is to stop curving in on ourselves, and open up.
Life is a team sport. The broader our understanding of who is on our “team” becomes, the wider our circle of care and compassion grows—the more we all thrive.
While Scott and I were driving home from an epic time enjoying the beauty of creation, after seeing the third U.S. flag flying over a farm I said: “I think they must love America.” This led to a great discussion on the ways the Right can be seen as coopting the American flag, while the Left can (equally) be seen as casting it aside. Both, I believe are true.
While the Right—correctly—champions the multifaceted goodness of the United States, it neglects our multitude of wrongs. Meanwhile, although the Left—correctly—names the ills in our society, it fails to remember our goodness. With that in mind: The more we can individually and collectively, simultaneously embrace what the Right and Left get correct, the more our divides and polarization will simply melt away … allowing us to thrive and shine together!
Honoring how it definitely feels like that was a great ending to this blog, please allow me to go all Peter Jackson in The Return of the King movie for a moment (meaning, there’s more than one “ending”). I believe Jesus was right when he said “I am the truth,” in that, The Way of Jesus is narrowly focused and centered on Love. This, from his teachings and life, my studies, and my own lived experience, calls us to:
Radical acceptance and inclusion
Radical ownership of our own wrongs and faults
Radical forgiveness, restoration, and rehabilitation of ourselves and others
Radical love, that stems from: Realizing beneath all the surface stuff, we’re far more alike than different. We’re all just humans journeying through, and making sense of life
To me, these preach a path that will not only heal and bridge our divides, but lead us all to greater heights than ever before. But what I really want to know is: What do you think?
Hugs & Love,
Lang (aka“Dr. Love”)