The Journey Inward

What a frightful title!
This is probably going to be a
difficult, painful, angry, or worrisome
post about a tough time,
a sad situation,
or an uncomfortable union,
you might be thinking.

It is none of these.
I read an amazing quote
in a book the other day.
Kendra Adachi, in The Lazy Genius,
says, "...we can all lovingly and compassionately
exist together in...tension."

What tension was she referring to?
She was speaking of the things that matter,
to us and to others.
We might want things those around us don't.
We might struggle with something that brings them joy.
We might care about something our friends don't.
And vice versa.

And I adore that notion.
We each need to place centrally in our lives,
the things that matter most to us,
and worry less about the things that don't.
And we need to allow others to do that, as well.
We each need to live in our truth.

But this quote transcends.
It speaks to sexual orientation,
same sex marriage, transgender rights,
reproductive rights, women's rights,
voting rights, environmental justice,
capital punishment, gun safety,
education and immigration,
just to name a few.

We are a country in turmoil right now,
divided and angry and deaf.
We have stopped connecting,
talking, listening, hearing.
We have stopped looking at issues
from all sides,
recognizing middle ground,
honoring humanity,
and basic human rights.
Imagine if we acknowledge the tension,
and lovingly and compassionately
existed together in it.  
Imagine.