Seeing with new eyes

When I retired, I made myself new business cards. I decided to put a short statement on it, indicating the focus I wanted in my retirement, and I chose this statement often attributed to Marcel Proust: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.”

Seeing with new eyes…what a challenge!

I’ve been reminded of that challenge this week. A minor disagreement triggered a need to look back at a “tender spot” from my growing up years. It was a situation that changed the trajectory of my life–and I realized that I had not fully dealt with it.

It’s always easier to become aware of the impact of some situations in hindsight, but when you are willing (and take the time) to look at any particular situation from a different perspective–with new eyes–you can learn a lot about yourself.

I’m also learning that when I am willing to look at the people around me and the world I live in with new eyes, I can gain a new appreciation for the giftedness of others…for the diversity of the created world…for the opportunities–and challenges–that face us and that will require us to work together for the good of all.

We don’t have to travel far from home to embark on a journey of discovery. All we have to do is open our eyes–really and truly open them.

Unity in diversity

My faith tradition has several enduring principles…short statements that try to catch up in a nutshell what our focus should be as we attempt to live out our faith.

One of those principles is unity in diversity. That’s been a challenging one for many who wonder how there can be unity if we accept diversity in various forms. This is especially true when there are widely divergent views on some issues based on culture and geography.

I thought of that this morning when I read the morning sharing from Steven Charleston on Facebook. For those who may not be familiar with him, he is an Native American elder and a retired Episcopal bishop. Each morning he spends time in meditation and shares the thoughts that come to him in a way that allows people from a variety of traditions to find meaning in them.

This was what he shared this morning:

We are one in heart and many in mind. Spiritual unity is possible when people do not have to agree with one another to love one another. Our kindness, compassion and support come from the heart as we live together in peace. At the same time, our ideas, visions and opinions may vary widely as we continue our creative work together for the common good. We are one in heart and many in mind.

We don’t have to think alike. We don’t have to act alike. We don’t even have to believe alike to have unity if we truly love one another.

Since I am a follower of Jesus, that is where my perspective comes from…and I believe that was the focus of Jesus’ response when he was asked what the greatest commandment was. He said that the greatest one was to love God with all our being, but he didn’t stop there. He went on to say that the second one was similar–to love our fellow human beings as we love ourselves.

We can delight in our diversity…and at the same time we can also live in unity. It’s not necessarily going to be easy–but it’s the only way.

What century am I in?

Sometimes I feel like I’m no longer living in the 21st century!

I grew up believing that scientists were people who studied our world to find out more about it and to help us live wisely in it.

I grew up believing that libraries were important parts of our communities…places where we could go to learn and to expand our minds.

I grew up believing that the goal of education was to help us learn how to think creatively and expansively…to not put ourselves in little boxes.

I grew up believing that the purpose of religion was to help us believe in something bigger than ourselves, regardless of whether we named it Divine Love, God, Allah, or something else. And I also believed that the main tenet of religion was to love God and each other with all our being.

But now?

I hear people saying that scientists can’t be believed…that they are just looking for things that “prove” what they already believe.

Libraries and librarians are being attacked for having books that some person may not agree with or may not want their child to read. Instead of being seen as people and places that can help us grow, they are seen by far too many as some kind of “evil” places and people.

Education has forced teachers to often “teach to the test” instead of helping children learn how to think. And educators are also under attack when exposing students to ideas they may not have thought of.

And instead of encouraging us to love others, far too often religion is now being used to demand adherence to a specific way of understanding God while demonizing any other understanding.

It feels like I’m living in a world that is going backwards…back to a time when men wanted women to be kept barefoot and pregnant…when we refused to acknowledge diversity–of race, gender, sexuality…when science and religion were enemies…when education was limited to the few “elites” and was used to support a specific world view…when superstition held sway.

I don’t want to live in that world! And so I’m going to continue to advocate for a world that allows–and encourages–each of us to live to our full potential…a world that understands that there is much we do not yet comprehend about our planet…a world in which we willingly share with each other so that none are left hungry or unhoused or fearful of violence.

This is not an April Fools Day joke…

The upcoming election in the United States is probably one of the most important elections that we have ever had…and I believe the future of our country is at stake.

I wish I could say that that comment was an April Fools Day joke–but it isn’t.

There is a stark contrast between not just the two primary candidates but also between the two major political party platforms…a contrast that I am seeing in many places around the world.

Do we want to be a country that lives in fear…fear of the “other”…afraid of our diversity? Ruled by a wanna-be dictator and his cronies who believe that the rule of law does not apply to them? A country torn by violence? That wants to isolate ourselves from anyone and anything that challenges our world view? A country that demands that only one form of one religion be acceptable? That says that the government can control women’s bodies?

Or do we want to be a country that rejoices in our diversity? That believes that all citizens are alike under the law? A country that sees our interconnectedness with others in the world and our need to work together for the good of all and a survivable future for the planet?

No one party or individual is perfect. Because we are human beings, we have flaws–and those flaws are reflected in our political system. But those flaws can either be magnified or diminished by the choices we make.

We are at a crossroads in the United States. We still have an opportunity to choose the direction we will go. I pray we choose wisely, not just for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren.

Where does always “being against” get us?

It’s so easy to be “against” something, isn’t it? It doesn’t really require anything from us…we don’t have to come up with any solution, we don’t have to try to work something out. We can just say we don’t like it / don’t agree with it–and we don’t even have to say why.

And it’s easy to fall into the habit of always “being against.” But where does that get us?

Nowhere. Not really.

We may find ourselves being ignored because we never have anything positive to offer.

We may find ourselves turning into grumpy people that no one likes to be around.

We may find the community / country / world we live in falling apart because every possible solution is met with “I’m against that.”

And even if we band together with others who are always “against,” it doesn’t mean that we’re going to stay together in that group–because once we start being negative and finding fault, there will always be something to find fault with…and so we leave that group in order to find a group that is more in line with our negative perspectives…only to find that there is something to find fault with in that group and so we leave again…and again…and again…

Life is never going to be easy, and we are never going to all agree. But we can find ways to work together…as long as we don’t assume that “being against” is the only legitimate position and the only perspective worth considering.