Today, there are tens of millions of voters who are celebrating a victory, and tens of millions are mourning to various degrees. My political beliefs aside, we should all be in the latter category. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised to hear me say I have never been a Trump supporter, but that is not why I have such a gloomy outlook today.
If this election showed us anything, it is just how vast the chasm is between us. When half the people feel like winners and half like losers, we are all losing.
It might feel good to sit here and air all my reasons for believing the American people made the wrong choice last night, but 70 million people would disagree with me.
SEVENTY MILLION!
I am not talking about just a few radical fringe groups, I am talking about friends, family, and neighbors. I guess I could find some solace in that nearly that same number agrees with me, but that’s how we got into this mess in the first place. This country is terribly divided, There is no elected official, from any party, that can fix this. It has to start with you and me.
Not long ago, I spent several days with a good friend who has profound conservative beliefs. We were both very clear that we would not vote for the same candidates. We had a few tense moments as we discussed the upcoming election, but in the end, we realized that our differences were nowhere near as significant as we may have believed.
We both want the same thing for our country. Where we differ is in how to get there. To me, that was a win.
Imagine how different things would be if we all sat and listened to one another. Suppose we suspend our beliefs for just a few moments and try to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. Why do they feel the way they think? How would I feel if I were indeed in their shoes?
I think I do that far more often than I really do. My mistake is that I tend to project my life experiences onto them rather than see the world through their eyes. That is much harder to do. It takes a deliberate effort, but the rewards are worth it.
Try it. The next time you talk to someone and they say something that triggers you, stop and acknowledge that you feel triggered.
Wow, I feel [insert negative feeling here].
That’s the first step. If you fail to see your own heightened emotions, you will never be able to hear what’s in the other person’s heart.
Then, ask yourself a few questions. What would my life be like if I had the same experiences they had in theirs? How would that shape my views on this subject?
If you are like me, this is the hardest part. Some of our beliefs are so firmly engrained in us that we cannot imagine how someone else might see them differently. The objective here is not to change your views or theirs. It is simply to seek to understand each other.
The solutions to complex problems are often impossible to see from only one angle. You must walk around them and see them from every angle before the solution becomes clear,
Two people, talking through their differences. That’s how WE make America Great Again. It doesn’t start in Washington, DC. It has to start with you and me.
Call me a dreamer, but that has to be the better way.
Will you join me?,
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