is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences
without fracturing our communities.”...Hillary Clinton
I think that's a good quote...we'd do well to study it.
Question for you...have you ever or do you squabble? Well, if you answered 'No' then you're either suspect or perfect...no way around it. The definition of squabble in one word is argue. A few other descriptive words are: argufy, fall out, have words, spat, tiff, wrangle, clash, brawl, dispute...that's not all but quite enough. So now...do you squabble?
I'll go first...yes I have and yes I do. What say you?
Fracturing seems to be a way of life these days; in too many areas of our lives. I'd never physically fractured anything in my life; that is, until a few summers ago in China. Three days after our arrival we were on our way to 'house church' when I fell into a thick, stone wall. Uh-oh...banged my head and shoulder so hard M thought I was 'killed'. Not quite but after the resident Chinese...dare I say 'physician' wrestled my arm/shoulder...she fractured it. Oh boy...then it hurt. Long story short...experience of a lifetime, totally! My one and only 'physical' fracture.
Mental fractures? Aah, too numerous to count; trivial? Hardly...fractured relationships are terribly painful and there's no telling how many wounded fall along the way! Why, oh why did I hurt so many...why did so many hurt me? Sadly some fractures really never healed...what to do 'bout that? Honestly speaking, I know the answer.
I haven't the courage.
Are we a world of 'eye for eye and tooth for a tooth'...getting even at any cost? Most wouldn't really want to exact that type of 'getting even'...do you think? I hope not.
Sometimes when we mention living in China, people wonder if we were afraid...actually we were never fearful. Our calmness came from Father...and what a comfort He provided. We were definitely a 'minority'...quite an oddity as people our age weren't 'out and about' like the two of us. Walking, walking...lots of footwork. We took a taxi when it was too far for this lady to walk...I do have my limits! But as odd as we were, we never felt threatened. On the contrary we were treated with great respect...without exception.
Wells Fargo Bank has an ad that goes like this:
Learn new things...Exchange ideas
Start a conversation...Find common ground.
Together we'll go far!
God called us to China...talk about learning new things? Whoop, I think so...like everything! Like new every morning, we never knew what was coming next. Teaching fifty university students each day allowed us to exchange ideas. We were not permitted to 'introduce' God but we could answer questions IF any were asked; they were...we exchanged ideas.
Those exchanges started conversations about many things...we were able to establish common ground. Besides spiritual things, the USA was a favorite topic w/the Chinese; however the first and most popular points of conversation were our impressions of China. They were eager to know what we thought of their country, the people and the food. Of course, those were some of their basic English lessons! Imagine us trying to tell them about America speaking Chinese...not gonna' happen even in a blue moon!
Question for you...have you ever or do you squabble? Well, if you answered 'No' then you're either suspect or perfect...no way around it. The definition of squabble in one word is argue. A few other descriptive words are: argufy, fall out, have words, spat, tiff, wrangle, clash, brawl, dispute...that's not all but quite enough. So now...do you squabble?
I'll go first...yes I have and yes I do. What say you?
Fracturing seems to be a way of life these days; in too many areas of our lives. I'd never physically fractured anything in my life; that is, until a few summers ago in China. Three days after our arrival we were on our way to 'house church' when I fell into a thick, stone wall. Uh-oh...banged my head and shoulder so hard M thought I was 'killed'. Not quite but after the resident Chinese...dare I say 'physician' wrestled my arm/shoulder...she fractured it. Oh boy...then it hurt. Long story short...experience of a lifetime, totally! My one and only 'physical' fracture.
Mental fractures? Aah, too numerous to count; trivial? Hardly...fractured relationships are terribly painful and there's no telling how many wounded fall along the way! Why, oh why did I hurt so many...why did so many hurt me? Sadly some fractures really never healed...what to do 'bout that? Honestly speaking, I know the answer.
I haven't the courage.
Are we a world of 'eye for eye and tooth for a tooth'...getting even at any cost? Most wouldn't really want to exact that type of 'getting even'...do you think? I hope not.
Sometimes when we mention living in China, people wonder if we were afraid...actually we were never fearful. Our calmness came from Father...and what a comfort He provided. We were definitely a 'minority'...quite an oddity as people our age weren't 'out and about' like the two of us. Walking, walking...lots of footwork. We took a taxi when it was too far for this lady to walk...I do have my limits! But as odd as we were, we never felt threatened. On the contrary we were treated with great respect...without exception.
Wells Fargo Bank has an ad that goes like this:
Learn new things...Exchange ideas
Start a conversation...Find common ground.
Together we'll go far!
God called us to China...talk about learning new things? Whoop, I think so...like everything! Like new every morning, we never knew what was coming next. Teaching fifty university students each day allowed us to exchange ideas. We were not permitted to 'introduce' God but we could answer questions IF any were asked; they were...we exchanged ideas.
Those exchanges started conversations about many things...we were able to establish common ground. Besides spiritual things, the USA was a favorite topic w/the Chinese; however the first and most popular points of conversation were our impressions of China. They were eager to know what we thought of their country, the people and the food. Of course, those were some of their basic English lessons! Imagine us trying to tell them about America speaking Chinese...not gonna' happen even in a blue moon!
Respect and tolerance allowed us to walk hand in hand...we found common ground and established great relationships! No flash in the pans either...we remain established.
It is thus tolerance that is the source of peace,
and intolerance that is the source of disorder and squabbling...
Pierre Bayle (1647-1707)
Living in foreign countries teaches much concerning tolerance vs intolerance. Being so different in a myriad of ways doesn't mean bad...means not like me or you...means we're not like them. The Chinese, Germans, Dutch, Ethiopians, Greeks...all tolerated me, Michael and our four boys! We fell in love w/them; they fell in love with us; feelings were mutual...as well as wonderful. Squabbling? No way!
Whether I'm visiting/living abroad or comfortable here in the U.S. I want to 'get along' as in being tolerant. This country is one huge 'melting pot'...sometimes it almost seems to be a foreign country! Southerners/Northerners...Texas/Brooklyn...endless differences, right? Of course! My neighbor, your neighbor; my faith...your faith; my political choice...your political party!
We MUST talk about and work at accepting and tolerating our opinions and ideas w/o tearing each other apart...fractures hurt and can be difficult to mend.
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing,
there is a field.
I will meet you there.
Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273
He provides a field; how about we make every effort to meet there? Together we'll go far! You game? I am, let's do it.
From my heart...to yours! Vasca
From my heart...to yours! Vasca
No comments:
Post a Comment