"At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
The news of the country has been compelling of late. Tragedy after tragedy after tragedy has created a whirlpool of opinion and strong emotion. What I haven't heard from our politicians, presidential "wannabees" and from so many others is the strength that love builds so that we become a nation not built on violence but on the principals of common sense.
History shows us time and again, that periods of violence brings us to another set of rules for which we try to adhere. Then we fail. Why do we fail? We fail because of greed, jealousy and a lack of love. We use people. We turn our backs and ignore the ignorance simply because it's easier. It's 2016, I thought we were better than that. I thought we had grown up.
At the heart of this is gun legislation and why we are so stubborn about regulating the very thing that has killed so many Americans in such a short time. The other piece of the puzzle is the fear and horror witnessed across the world. Where is the peace? Where is the relevance of love? The "Haves" and the "Have Nots" are continuing their battle when the solution is easy. There is plenty of everything to go around. Where is the fairness? Human beings by nature can be swayed and influenced by not only what's true but by what's not true because it is sometimes easier to be angry than to be fair.
As the news of the country develops, as the world continues to be faced with violence, less violence doesn't seem to make sense but it does. Why? Because those who are the most angry and the most violent will grow tired. Those who love, will grow stronger. We fail at this when we fail to believe this to be true.
This week, my husband and I will celebrate eight years of marriage. It's interesting because in the those years together, I now fully understand that when we look to love, we problem solve. When we love, we figure out how to overcome our obstacles. No one says this is easy but the outcomes are much more profound and much more satisfying. The reason why most marriages fail is because both parties stop talking. They feel that either party is no longer listening or caring. Then the anger perpetuates. The relationships that last are the ones where the two parties grow old, not tired. And, if there is love, and there is separation, the love supersedes the past hurts. It is possible to disagree and do it fairly and justly.
In the world today, we are all married. Relationships matter. What happens in the world affect us all and it's about time we fully understood that and used the strength of our humanity to stop the violence There has to be discussion and compromise and honesty. I look at the world and I look at the politics behind recent events and know that had they there been the presence of these things we would have gun control that makes sense. No one would be hungry or angry or resentful. We would work towards helping those who suffer from mental illness and despair so that they would not feel compelled to become noticed through their violent acts. We would not be hurting each other for the sake of our own ills or gains.
To put a stop to all violence is altruistic. Just like the first weeks of marriage, where we promise to "never, ever fight." Human nature dictates otherwise. The mindful will however, understand the limitations of humanity and embrace it regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation or otherwise. Be mindful. It's time.
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