Harmonizing

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous when hitting publish on my last post. With the current climate in this country, expressing your feelings concerning any politics seems to almost guarantee emotional backlash. I asked for my husband’s opinion beforehand, not because I needed the approval but more for the nudge, since he is much more publicly vocal than I am.

Unfortunately, it seems, we have reached a point where we have lost the ability to listen to points of view differing from our own and this is a really scary place to have arrived. We search for things to keep our selves divided, rather than taking the time to find the parts we share. I have yet to meet a person I have been unable to connect with, even if the commonalities are minimal; but we miss those connections more often than not, while browsing in search of the pieces that do not fit.

The voices that do not harmonize perfectly with mine, are the voices that can sing a powerful song and give me the most to think about and we need to be careful not to drown one another out. We are all allowed to have a voice in the choir, but the loudest voices are sometimes the most difficult for me to hear. I tend to tune those out, the way my kids tune me out when I am angry cleaning. My ears respond better to the softer melodies, like most people. The most brilliant musicians were inspired by all genres of music and play many different instruments, not just one.

Somewhere along the line, we all started to believe this notion that if we did not agree on every thought, belief or political ideology, than we should stand across from each other, on opposite sides.
My husband and I usually can’t even agree on what to watch on TV, let alone the meaning of life, yet somehow we find a way to stay married and raise a family.

I have never fit neatly into one box and, honestly, I don’t ever plan to. Most of our beliefs change and evolve over time, either succumb to or grow from the wisdom of our individual experiences throughout life. To continue to fit in one place would only stunt any growth and I plan to continue to grow for as long as I continue to breath. I would be okay, though, if my thighs weren’t copied on that memo.

We do not need to pick a side, there is not always a right or wrong. I have sat on the fences of both sides and realized long ago that I am able to balance myself much better when keeping one foot planted inside each. We may never have the opportunity to walk in each other’s shoes, but we sure as hell can listen to the story about the trip, believe it and try to understand it. One person’s path doesn’t erase our own, it confirms that there will always be more than one way to travel. We can take different routes and still arrive at the same place, if we are willing.

But my voice, my voice is just as important as anyone else’s, even when it sings out of key for some ears. No one will ever be able to hear me if I just continue to lip synch. All are welcome to sing along or to stop to listen. Just don’t change the channel until the song is over or you may miss out on singing the words you know.