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.

Enough is enough!

I have supported–and will continue to support–Israel’s right to exist without fear of constant attacks.

However, I cannot support the current Israeli government and their actions towards the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Have Netanyahu and his supporters forgotten their own history? of how in many places in the 20th century Jews were herded into smaller and smaller enclaves? deprived of medical care and food? killed without caring if they were men, women, or children? Have they forgotten how Jews were considered “subhuman”?

It is appalling to see so many of those same tactics now being used by the Israeli government towards the people of Gaza.

It is appalling to see the callous disregard for the lives of the innocents who are caught in the crossfire.

It is appalling to see the refusal to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in desperate need–and aid workers killed, despite having coordinated with the Israeli forces to be in “safe” zones.

It is appalling to see the heartbreak of parents trying desperately to keep their children alive and safe.

And I am appalled that in light of all of this, my government is still considering selling more fighter jets to Israel.

I understand that this sale is part of a longstanding commitment to Israel’s security…that there are other entities in the area that continue to vow the destruction of Israel. And I understand that many of these sales were approved years before this current conflict.

But I also believe that it is time–past time–to call the Israeli government to accountability.

It is time–past time–to say “Enough is enough!”

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.

To everything there is a season…

Back in 1965 The Byrds released a song that I loved…and it’s a song that’s been running through my mind this last couple of days. Its title was “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and the words came directly from the writer known as the Teacher in the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8):

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

We go through the seasons of life in so many ways–spring / summer / fall / winter…infancy / childhood / youth / adulthood / senior age…and even in these seasons, there are “mini-seasons” that we experience.

For many right now, this is a time to mourn. We mourn the violence and hatred towards “the other.” We mourn the senseless loss of life through war. We mourn the loss of loved ones. We mourn the loss of homes due to weather-related situations. We mourn the loss of beloved places and artifacts in a faith community.

And yet this scripture…this song…can also bring hope. We will not stay stuck in a particular season, but the seasons will turn; they will change.

There will be a time of healing…a time when we will be able to dance again. There will be a time to embrace each other…a time of peace.

Living through the dark seasons is difficult and challenging. But the seasons will turn.