Belief is an imperative part of our human journey.
Our ideas, opinions, positions and platforms provide us with a framework for navigating the uncertain world around us. They bolster us up and reorient us in the direction of our own True North. They keep us from collapsing into our ourselves when Life gets challenging or confusing or scary. As Alexander Hamilton said, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”
And yet, Belief is also a bit like a muscle. It’s painful when it’s stretched, but it’s the stretching that makes us flexible and limber enough to keep pace with our passionate pursuit of Life.
When we’re too steeped in our beliefs to stretch them, our world becomes deeply polarizing. When we’re unable to extend compassion to those outside our sphere of belief, our muscles begin to atrophy. And when these vital systems shut down on us, we begin to lose the spiritual and emotional fortitude necessary to make our highest contribution.
Yes, belief is necessary. But belief without compassion is dangerous.
Why?
Because unwavering or intolerant belief in any direction immediately suspends our search for common ground. (Which, incidentally, happens to be the most sacred ground any two feet could occupy.)
So today let us meet in this space between.
Let us agree that we won’t stop searching until we’ve found it. And let us remember that our journey back to our highest selves always begins with a promise to honor each others’ humanity. A willingness to rediscover those we thought we already knew. And a commitment to wait for each other once we find this holy and hidden place, way out there beyond belief.
This searching for common ground is so apropos today. And I don’t mean just politics. I don’t even live in the U.S. right now, although I am a citizen, and it pains me to see what goes on there. But this refusing to find common ground thrives where I am, also. Even if the majority of the list in our particular belief systems clashes with those of others, the fact that we are human and living right now and struggle at all in anything is enough to be able to reach out to one another, right? This is helpful to me to think about today. Thank you.