We possess the ability to see there is love in all hearts, even those we disagree with, but we choose not to. We choose to have enemies, but they are not our enemies.
Our enemy is a lack of knowledge, a lack of awareness, a lack of true understanding that we must fight to achieve. It is not a comfortable or easy fight, but nothing good ever is. Society as a whole is losing the war against a misguided philosophy that prioritizes comfort and conformance over compassion. That prioritizes group identification and “othering” over our sense of oneness.
That is not to say that our differences aren’t important or should be ignored, our various cultural norms, religious beliefs, and philosophical perspectives should be celebrated. But in order to do that, hard work needs to go into building bridges across these divides. We are not enemies, we’ve been sold the narrative that we are. It’s natural to find comfort in community, and we find clarity of identity in opposition to those that stand in stark contrast to it. But what about healing, what about changing the world? What about changing each other for the better? I believe that many, if not most people want that.
The only way to change someone is to first understand them, be with them, listen to them. It takes time, and it takes humility. Sometimes it can be a battle, sometimes it can be a dance, but I believe the effort is always worth it. If the right intention is present, the seed you plant will find it’s way to the light.
Investing in others is the only way forward. Offer them love, even when the rest of the world says they don’t deserve it.
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