There's so much discord out there and I keep wondering what to do about it. People are bickering, unfriending, belittling and coercing those who have a different opinion. God help you if you disagree, even politely. People are ready to pounce. Anger and frustration are palpable. I feel a deeper concern than ever about the dividing lines between us. It's ironic when really, at our core, there is much more that unites us, but all of that common ground seems to be drowning in the murky waters of this turbulent time.

No matter what your opinions are and no matter where mine land, our voices, our hearts and our determination must be unified. So how do we move out of discord and into unity? I've been thinking a lot about that and I've decided to build bridges. But here's the important thing:

We don’t build a bridge to connect us with someone who is already on our side of the river. 

We build it so we can reach those in the far away places on the opposite side.

Those who look different. Those who worship differently. Those who marry differently. Those who want different things. And those who hold different opinions. Our bridges must be structures that facilitate listening, not so we can reply, but so we can gain understanding.

Bridges that connect us are built in many ways:

Smile at a person who looks different than you and hold their eyes for an extra second or two.  Stop. Talk. No… stop. Listen.  

Pause before reacting, speaking, posting. Seek to understand another's perspective. Be determined that gaining understanding will be more important to you than espousing your opinion. You might just learn something. And there is always something to be learned.  

Stop by to visit the sick one or the elderly one, the widowed and the overwhelmed. Hold a door. Carry groceries. Deliver a pie. Let that annoying driver go ahead. Be a force for Love in every interaction. Be curious. Ask questions. Share information. Hold out your hand because all of us who are trying to live in Love need one another. ALL of us.

There is common ground out there and it’s our job to build the bridges that will lead us to it. We are humanity and all who seek good and reject evil possess a peaceful parcel of heart that we share. This is the place of unity and building bridges will lead us there.

Wishing you peace, love and unity! May we all be bridge builders and invite others to join us!

(If you like what you read here, please share, like or leave a comment. It's kinda like throwing a quarter into the basket of the guy playing guitar on the town square. Except this doesn't cost you anything.)