Day 263

 Saturday November 28, 2020

The day known in the United States as Thanksgiving is over.  From now on  I will call it a "day of thanks", but it will have little to do with a celebration of history. It will simply be a time to be thankful for what the universe has delivered to all of us. (or them.) The division of this so called United States has been separated by politics and issues around race, police action, and our American history.  

According to Psychology Today,  "In 2017, 44 percent of Democrats had an unfavorable opinion of the GOP, and 45 percent of Republicans and Republican leaners view the Democratic Party unfavorably. You can imagine that today, these numbers are likely even higher. Back in 1994, less than 20 percent in both parties held extreme negative views of the other side."

This has led to a country that questions one another and not in a inquisitive way, but in a damning way. In a manner that shows disrespect and hatred. In such a way that the country was on a watch list for potential violence after the presidential election. 

Violence after an election?  

Bipartisan thinking is not in favor these days.  It is clear there are two sides. 

Republican and democrat. Liberal and conservative. Blue and red. Us and them. 

Us and them is a song recorded by Pink Floyd in 1973 and appears on the album "Dark 

Side of the Moon" The year 2020 has brought light to these lyrics. As you read them, remember all this year has brought to both us and them. 

Us and Them

And after all we're only ordinary men

Me, and you

God only knows it's not what we would choose to do

Forward he cried from the rear

and the front rank died

And the General sat, as the lines on the map

moved from side to side

Black and Blue

And who knows which is which and who is who

Up and Down

And in the end it's only round and round and round

Haven't you heard it's a battle of words

the poster bearer cried

Listen son, said the man with the gun

There's room for you inside

Down and Out

It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about

With, without

And who'll deny that's what the fighting's all about

Get out of the way, it's a busy day

And I've got things on my mind

For want of the price of tea and a slice

The old man died

The separation of our nation has much to do with the lack of communication between parties and people. We are interested in like-thinking individuals (us) and are not open to the ideas of others (them). This leads to speculation of thought and misbeliefs. We cannot know the views of others unless we listen to them and understand them.  We may not always agree, but we can understand perspective and have empathy, a trait this country is desperately lacking.  

In his poem, The Evening-Watch: A Dialogue, Henry Vaughan writes in the first verse," Farewell! I go to sleep; but when The day-star springs, I'll wake again." 

Let all of us each new day be open to what we listen to. Let us extend our thinking beyond what we know well. Let us see others and their human perspective even though it may not be of our own ilk. 

We all have a role to play in this life. Will we be remembered? Will our life be memorable? Maybe it already is and maybe it is yet to be. As Sigmund Bloom said, “This story of life has already been told. The book has already been written. It’s up to you to choose which character you want to be in that story.”

Every day is a new chapter in your life and an opportunity to be the character in the story that is your life. Be it for a few or for many. Your words and existence have meaning, influence (great or small) and voice. The unique voice that is your own. May it be a voice of reason and understanding. A heartfelt voice of love and compassion and hope. Although our hope may be in the future, the love and compassion are for today. 

Be present and acknowledge people.

Listen and learn. 

Bring us and them together as one.