And a picture of us
Even though it was framed
And covered in dust
It’s the map in my mind that sends me on my way
They say it’s never too late
To stop being afraid
And there is no one else here
So why should I wait?
And in the blink of an eye, the past begins to fade
So have you ever been caught in a sea of despair?
And your moment of truth
Is the day that you say, I’m not scared..."
-- Shinedown, "Unity"
Friends, take note: this is more than a comeback from a long hiatus, and more than a mea culpa for being divisive, stubborn, and unrelenting. I don't like to think of myself as part of the problem, but as an emotionally-driven person, I certainly can be. Admittedly, I will occasionally go to great lengths just to be heard at any cost.
However, too much negativity is toxic to a creative soul, and I'm still navigating the whole process of letting it go. Inhale, exhale, lather, rinse, repeat. And so, as inspiration begins to flow once again, here I am.
But, show of hands: how many of us, in life and/or social media, prefer to create an echo chamber of like-minded sentiment, shutting out anything that challenges our beliefs?
How many of us have sneered at opinions that don't match our own, dismissing the other party as uneducated, out-of-touch, ignorant, conformist, attempting to label and belittle their views, to demonize and otherwise cast "us" as superior and "them" in a light of wrongness?
Come on. Hands up.
Yep. I see you. That's a lot of hands.
Recently, I declared that friends, associates, and family would have avoid any sort of political discourse with me, lest they be ignored or ostracized. I made the decision to disassociate with those whose views starkly challenged my own.
Eventually, I realized that by refusing to listen, I am missing out on the opportunity to grow. And I am missing the connection I had with people in my life who, like me, just want to be heard.
It started with a very nice talk I had with Mom earlier today. We talked about the RNC and the upcoming election. And I came away with a better understanding of where people I don't agree with are really coming from.
One thing just about EVERY American agrees on: our nation, and our society, is horribly broken. We are disillusioned. We are frustrated. We are furious.
And we want change. Real change. No more empty promises, no more lip service, no more platitudes. People on all sides of the political spectrum figure until we do something completely different, it's going to remain that way.
The only thing separating us from real unity is how we believe these problems ought to be solved, and by whom.
For the record, I personally abhor everything Donald Trump says and everything he stands for. I don't believe in singling out blaming an entire race or religion for our problems. Nor do I think he has the intelligence, tact, or experience to fix our country. But you know what? I totally understand the appeal.
When people look at Trump, they see a major deviation from the status quo. First and foremost, that he is not a politician. And many have deduced that since traditional politicians cannot be trusted, someone who is not a politician and who doesn't adhere to conventional party lines (or political correctness), must be, by default, the "real" voice of the people. Moreover, Trump capitalizes on people's most basic fears and prejudices, and sells himself as the solution. He might be obnoxious, and he might represent the wealthy 1% and everything that is wrong with this country, but many Americans believe anything - even a billionaire reality TV sideshow - is better than another lying, corrupt, out-of-touch bullsh*t artist.
They aren't really voting for a candidate, but rather against a candidate. By supporting Trump, folks believe they're voting against corruption, division, and, more importantly, societal stagnation.
Truth be told, I think no matter who wins the election, it's going to be another case of "meet the new boss, same as the old boss." The type of change we need isn't just in our leadership.
Real, lasting change begins with us. With "we the people." With us realizing that the mass media (the true scourge on our society, in my opinion) and the powers that be on all sides are not ever going to operate in our best interests. With us, as individuals, learning to be a little more tolerant, a little less fearful, a little more giving, and a little less selfish. With us banding together, seeing past our differences, and with one voice crying out, "ENOUGH." With grassroots efforts, commitment to morality for the greater good, dialogue, and an unwavering sense of community, including the abolition of this all-pervasive us/them mentality.
That, friends, is what will bring about real change. I know we're all just struggling to survive, hold down a job, feed our kids, stay afloat in the murky waters of an uncertain future, vent our frustrations whenever and wherever we can in the vague hope that we will find someone to listen. But for the moment, what we change within ourselves and our own little corner of that world doesn't have to be monumental. It just has to be.
It can start with all of us doing a better job of listening to each other. No judgment, no accusations, no name-calling, no waiting to interject with our own words of presumptive so-called wisdom. Just listening, because every human being deserves to be heard. Simply heard.
Anything less, friends, will get us nowhere.
Starting today, I promise to do better. How about you?
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