I just watched a news report from the Middle East and found myself crying tears of despair. “How is it that humans get themselves into such situations?” I wondered.
It became clear to me how seductive it is to be safe in our comfy homes, watch our big screen televisions and sit in judgment of others. We all do it in one form or another- judge others and live in our righteousness.
As I watched the crisis escalating I thought of all the families I have coached through the years as parents who once loved each other create a climate of retribution as anger and hurt causes them to make pawns of their children. I’ve experienced my own pain that came from perceived misunderstanding, betrayal or abandonment. I’ve heard story after story of adult siblings who do not talk to each other in families torn apart by warring factions. While it seems human to spin our version of any story in our head and become a victim, it is so much harder to step back and see our own role in the drama of life.
I can’t help but wonder how many people reading this are holding on to some unspoken, hard to release, feelings of anger or resentment toward another person. How many children are forced to navigate the tension in their homes? How many adults have stopped talking to friends and family because of a perceived hurt?
If people who once loved each other can become so hurtful and punitive, what are the chances for a peaceful existence between nations who have experienced decades of mistrust?
Within these questions I see a challenge to us all. There is something that each of us can do, right now, today. While we cannot change political situations we can pour out tolerance, appreciation and love into the energy of our planet.
How do we do this? Think of a person who has in some way ‘wronged’ you ~ a person, who when you think about them, brings up a negative memory or visceral response. And then do the hard work… Wish them well with all your heart. Release the righteousness. Stop telling the old story. Send love and forgiveness to this imperfect human being ~ and maybe, just maybe, if enough of us do this, something magical will happen…and we’ll all make a tiny but powerful shift toward real peace.
If not now, then when?
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