Part of me suspects that the reason my thoughts won't come together is that I'm refusing to engage in any political discussions. It started as soon as I left the Schengen Zone on my way to the US.
I haven't even encountered anyone particularly troublesome — you know, the ones family members have blocked during election season. There's just a lot of rah rah about who are the Good Guys and who are the Bad Guys.
I have a degree from a very Woke University. I’m that person who left the US for ideological reasons. I'm pretty obviously kind of a weirdo. Yet when I sit down to dinner with people who are on the "wrong team" they are not the monsters my friends claim are out there. When they explain why they make the choices they do, their reasons are sound and motivated by love and concern.
Both sides say they support care work. Both sides say they just want to take care of their families and friends. Everyone wants to build a better world. We just disagree on what, exactly, that world would look like.
So, when Michelle Spencer shared this quote from Nora McInerny, it really resonated with me:
“If we are not married to certainty, we can date curiosity. We can release the impossible expectation that we have all the answers, and enjoy the process of understanding and uncovering and pursuing truth and wisdom without returning to the defensive stance that is absolute rightness.”
Regardless of the outcome of the election, those of us in communities with a mix of political beliefs have the opportunity to continue to be kind to everyone. To recognize that our neighbor is not one of the Bad Guys. To reach out with curiosity.
We can build a better world together.
