Do you have conversations with friends and wonder where they get their “crazy” political ideas? Do you wonder why he or she isn’t interested in your facts?  Do they seem to be living in an alternate reality? Read on to find out one simple thing you can do to heal this divide. 

A Story of Strong Feelings and Opposing Views

Recently, my friend called me crying. She was arguing with her son about what to do with her grandson, his 25-year-old son currently residing in her home. She had fought with the grandson, and he became physically threatening to her. Because of this, she wanted him out of her house. Her son disagreed.

She called me that cold, rainy morning, her voice shaking, and asked me to intervene. Perhaps I could get her son to help with the grandson peacefully? Since I had worked with him professionally, and we had mutual respect for each other, I went against my better judgment and gave him a call. I thought we could talk calmly, but he was irate. Unfortunately, our conversation went sour quickly.  

A few weeks later, I received a long text from him. He did not see the situation the same way my friend did, and his anger showed again. We have been family friends for a long time, and I always knew him as a very loving person. I felt that his anger was an expression of an accumulation of pain. 

Do you have relationships like that? Someone claiming love but acting with hatred? Does that person you love seem to be living in a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde reality?  

How Can You Heal a Divided Nation?

These things happen with intimate relationships like this one, but it can also occur on a macro-scale. The political divide in the United States has become an extremely hostile situation and it’s entirely up to us to unite

Texts, Facebook comments, tweets, and digital communications lend themselves to an escalation of a tense atmosphere. It’s much easier for us to express hostility digitally than to make similar statements across the dinner table.  

Our political world declares that one must be either red or blue, and the “other” must be the enemy. Families have become divided, and friendships are lost. Where does it all end? It doesn’t have to be this way; there is one small thing we can all do that immediately soothes the conflict. 

I finally answered the angry text from my friend’s son. To do that, I went inside my heart and allowed my Heart Self to answer for me. I remembered this young man over the years. I laughed with him as he rejoiced at the birth of his children. I hugged him when he cried over the loss of his father and his brother.  

Now, I answered his rant with one simple sentence. “I know you, and I know that the light of love is the core of your being.”

So simple and so true. So healing. 

The next time some of your Facebook friends look like they have lost their minds, or you wonder how your family member can support someone whose values are so different from your own, take a moment to remember who they are. Remember some positive memories you share.

We all have our quirks; we make our mistakes, and we all occasionally, “miss the mark.” These surface behaviors are not to be confused with who we are at the core of our being. The core of your being is your soul, your Heartself; it is pure love. Sometimes we need to dismiss the superficial personality traits that we often disguise ourselves with and tell our friends and family we know who they are.

The next time you get caught up in an argument over two sets of facts, take a deep breath. Remember who you are, remember who they are, and respond with this very same statement.

“I know you, and I know that the light of love is the core of your being.”

That one simple statement can heal our world.

Voice Your Thoughts and Ask Questions 

Do you have questions about this writing? Perhaps you have been facing this situation with a family member or a friend. Do you need guidance on how to approach them with love and acceptance? You can ask Reverend Kathleen Lockwood a question here.

If you have something important to say about this topic, you are also welcome to submit your thoughts to our guest writers page. Articles, poems, and other forms of creative writing will be considered for submission.  

Blessings and peace to all.