As we witness the current unenviable, rhetorical climate, weathered with unfortunate ample disgust, distaste, and disrespect for seemingly any perspective other than one’s own, two questions continue to come back to me.
Let me warn you now: I won’t — and actually can’t — answer my own two questions.
But as I ponder the current climate — and ponder even more so how to be a part of the solution as opposed to the problem — or somehow, even fueling this problem — I keep coming back to these two Q’s.
Granted, in order to state this accurately, I probably need the voices around me to be quieter for a mere moment, so I can actually think on my own and vocalize my 17¢… if people will let us.
I do realize the need to peacefully stand up for what we believe in. And peaceful protest does include some shouting. What does it not include? Briefly?
… insult… profanity… judgment…
I admire protest. I do not admire insult, profanity, and judgment.
Let me share an additional truth… Rightly or wrongly, when anyone’s shouting at me, I can’t hear them.
Why? Because I can’t always tell if they care what I think. They have to be silent long enough to engage in some semblance of active listening and exchange. Without active listening, there will be no meaningful conversation. Without meaningful conversation, there will be no respect. And without respect, there will be no solution.
Nonetheless, I keep coming back to these two Q’s…
Two questions that plague me…
Two questions that if we answered truthfully, maybe solution would come a little quicker…
Maybe solution would even come.
One: how do we not equate our own experience with everyone else’s reality?
And two: how can we assume that just because a person doesn’t react as I do, they don’t care?
We sure make a lot of assumptions. Isn’t that the zillion dollar challenge?
We assume that if we experience something, it must be true for everyone— or at least true for most. We react a certain way, and if someone reacts completely differently — or maybe not at all — we make assumptions about their character, integrity, and morality. We sure assume a lot (… makes me think of that ole clique as to “assume” only sadly makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me”).
I pray not do that.
Again, however, as forewarned at the onset of this post, I cannot answer my own two questions.
I do think, though, that the pondering of the above would be wise for us all…
… a little more silence… a little more grace for the different… and far fewer assumptions of those we do not understand.
Respectfully… always…
AR