Just a Question

Recently I spent time with a couple of friends who have genuine hope for the future of humanity. Thanks to their courage and wisdom and clarity, I’ve been infected now with that hope too. 

And I didn’t even know how badly I needed it.

Hope for humanity has given me a renewed conviction that any contribution I might yet make to the world could be significant. If we’re not simply on an inexorable spiral into doom and chaos — if other, potentially happier possibilities exist for the human race — then life (that is, all our lives) still has plenty of meaning because we’re all co-creating the present and future every second. 

This train of thought leads me directly to a question:

How can I be a force for kindness and healing in the world?“

And an Afterthought …

I have been one of many millions (I believe) of Americans who are wishing and eagerly waiting for Donald Trump to go to prison. 

Maybe he deserves it (whatever “deserve” means). Maybe it would only be “justice” if he goes to jail, given all the suffering and damage he’s caused to other people, not to mention his threat to our democracy.

But what I’m noticing in myself is that the desire to see Trump imprisoned is twinned with a powerful hatred and loathing for the man. It feels, weirdly, almost personal.

My sense is that millions of people feel similarly and would know what I’m talking about. (Perhaps you’re one of them?) These are people “of my tribe.” People with whom I share many common values.

So what I’m wondering is this: those of us who have “plugged in” to this collective tsunami-sized field of hatred for Trump (We are, in a sense, united in hatred) – can we momentarily step back and feel how our hatred is hurting our hearts?

Never mind its impact on the world or on how politics play out. Never mind how it may look to people who don’t share our views. Never mind what justice dictates should become of Donald Trump.

Can we simply see and feel in our own hearts that our hatred hurts us? 

It hurts to hold hatred in our hearts. It’s that simple.

Presuming we don’t have to be hateful, presuming we have a choice, and presuming of course that it will make us feel better not to hate (it will), what would we be risking by letting go of our hatred?

What purpose does our hatred serve? I’m asking seriously. Maybe it really does serve some useful purpose. Maybe it’s necessary for something. I doubt it but I’m open to being convinced.