by Dear Friend,
I can still call you that, right?
This uprising in our country has us all so divided that I see people losing friendships due to their unwavering difference of opinions.
And it’s sad.
You think differently than I do. Our backgrounds and life experiences have affected us and molded us until we see the world differently. We read the same newspapers, we watch the same news and we listen to the same political campaigns and yet we see them differently. Sometimes so differently that I wonder if you are even hearing what I am hearing. Sometimes it’s hard to know that you think opposite of me. Because in my mind, my opinion is right. But I am guessing the same is true for you.
Is it hard for you too? Do you wonder how we got here? How our country became divided into us and them? Remember when it was just you and me? Or was it never really like that? Were we just blind to the divide?
Today the divide is practically palpable. No Facebook post, Instagram photo, late night TV show or break room chatter is exempt from it. And all too frequently, the discussions are laced with anger.
But anger stems from pain, frustration and fear.
I am all of these.
It is painful to think that I am seen differently because of how I look. It hurts to know that my loved one may be targeted and killed because of his appearance; that someone may not see that he is a loving father, devoted husband and God-loving man below the surface of his exterior.
I am frustrated that so many people don’t seem to understand my side. Why can’t they see what I see? Hear what I hear? Think the way I think?
I am scared that the world will continue to get worse; that fear will overcome love, evil will overcome good and the other side will win and I’ll be left beaten and broken. But if only one side ‘wins’ are there any real winners?
If we bottle up the fear, frustration and pain- stir it with lack of empathy and refuse to see the other side- anger will begin to brew.
But isn’t it possible to discuss this without letting our anger get the best of us?
Because anger has the power to divides us, friend. And if we let that anger fester, something much worse will emerge.
HATE.
And Hate is difficult to come back from.
So what if we all refused to let Hate in? If we took our anger and instead of using it to attack each other, we used it to fuel our creativity and develop a solution. One where you and I both felt validated and justified.
Friend, I wish I could talk to you about this, but I am scared. I am afraid you will hate me because of my opinion or you will disrespect my views because they differ from yours. So instead, I have been sitting in silence and in my silence I have been secretly hoping that you would speak up.
Hoping that someone, anyone, would speak up. This silence is stagnant.
So, friend, I think it’s time I asked.
Do you want to talk? Because I am ready to listen.
Sincerely,
Your Friend
