Discourse

Listening to the national conversation, it is clear that we are in desperate need of a better way of interacting with one another. We’ve become so polarized that we talk right past each other.
Indeed, what is the nature of discourse, of dialogue?

• Listening – When I listen for the truth in what the other person is saying, I am humbled. Not one of us knows everything. And no one is completely devoid of truth. We each have a piece of the picture. When we listen, really listen, we discover those gems of truth in each other and in ourselves. It is that open-minded search for truth that allows us to see what is right in front of us.
• Courage – Very often, the truth is not comfortable. It requires me to look at myself, to examine my motives and face my own prejudices. This is not easy work. But it is essential. We cannot make progress if we cling to our old preconceptions.
• Compassion – It is so easy for me to become impatient with others’ blindness. I want to pick people up and shake them so they see. But then I realize that I, too, am blind. And in danger of hardening my heart. So I step over to where they are standing and look at the world from their point of view. Amazingly enough, their argument makes sense from that vantage point. And then when I look beyond the current conversation to the experiences that built us, I realize how much we have to overcome. I take a deep breath and seek a way to bridge the gap. 
• Time – It takes time to listen and to think. It’s not easy to examine my own views and honestly seek to understand the views of others. Yet we live in a world that is speeding up—everything must be done NOW. It takes fortitude to resist that pull to rush things. Building understanding is essential to our progress on this planet. And the stakes are getting higher. We may yet discover that our very lives depend on our ability to slow down and really look at what is.
• Letting go – Sometimes, for whatever reason, it’s just not possible to bridge the divide between people. Or maybe it’s not the right time. Whatever it is, I’m learning there’s a point at which I must simply let go. Perhaps the right opportunity will come later, but for now it is time to wish the person well and move on.

We have so much potential, we human beings. And our current trials provide us with an amazing opportunity. It’s up to us how we respond. Do we continue to argue? Or do we seek to understand and start building together?