![The Statue of Liberty in the distance with lots of blue sky above it; A beacon for America to unite and build rather than fight.](https://thegoldengarage.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/statue_of_liberty_copt.jpg)
Have you ever known a couple that does nothing but fight?
They spend all their time throwing accusations against each other.
“You’re crazy!” “You’re stupid!” “You’re selfish!” “You’re mean!”
The other partner is always the one who is ruining the relationship.
Actually, if you look closely, this destructive pair doesn’t even have a
relationship.
They are building nothing together.
All they do is look for the worst in each other.
And they are experts at finding it!
Welcome to today’s America
We are the-red-versus-the-blue
and the-blue-versus-the-red.
We love to fight.
Do you know anyone on either side who truly wants to unite?
What about you?
You wanna unite with those idiots in the other half of the country?
I didn’t think so.
But you have read this post so far…
So please tell me, if we don’t find a way to unite,
what will happen to the United States of America?
You are absolutely correct.
Same thing that will happen to that couple.
So…is that the outcome we want? Why?
There is no law that says we have to continue
on this self defeating downward spiral.
You could take a step TODAY that would contribute to uniting America.
Doing it would be a gift!
A gift you could give to your country.
What do you say?
Are you willing?
Let’s DO this!
President Biden’s Inaugural Address
Whether you are on the red side or the blue side,
and no matter what your view of President Biden is,
I ask you to have an open mind, go here and read his Inaugural Address.
It is all about building unity in America.
It is profound.
Our President is asking you to join him in building unity.
What does it take to actually hear him?
What if you did not vote for him and don’t support his policies?
Shouldn’t you just fight him, not unite with him?
What if you DID vote for him, shouldn’t you just fight the people who DIDN’T?
Sure sounds like that couple who don’t know how to do anything but fight.
Relationship therapy
Maybe as a country we could consider trying one of the methods used
in successful relationship therapy.
We could take a simple but powerful step.
One that is designed to change the whole dynamic of a relationship
from a destructive one to a constructive one.
We could start to do things that bring us back together.
One of the most effective ways to get a couple to stop fighting all the time
is to insist they completely stop talking about their differences.
And instead resume doing the activities they used to do when they first fell in love.
So, they shut up, and they go bike riding together for the first time in years.
They shut up, and they go to the zoo together.
They shut up, and they make breakfast in bed for each other.
As they do the things they used to do when they were happy,
they begin to remember why they fell in love in the first place.
They start to experience pleasure instead of pain when they are together.
The issues and differences are still there, but now they have some positive energy
and some motivation to look at them together and find solutions.
They are building again.
Your gift to America
The best thing you could give America today is an open mind,
willing to reach out to someone on the other side of our red/blue divide.
Instead of focusing on the issues and differences that divide you,
instead of debating with them, attacking them and attempting to defeat them,
instead of dissing them on social media or in person
you decide to do something constructive together that you both enjoy.
You get together peacefully with this different-thinking red or blue fellow American
and you sing together, cook together, take care of animals together,
fix up your neighborhood together, go to church together, go hiking together,
go shopping together, play a game together—whatever you both enjoy doing.
You decide to see this other American as every bit as valuable and worthy as you are.
You ACCEPT that they hold political views that are different from yours,
You REALIZE that this is actually a good thing not a bad thing in a democracy.
Once you have established a basic trust and comfort between you,
you will be able to begin to look for the common ground between your views.
THAT is what it means to unite America!
Have an open mind, find the best in each other, and build freedom together.
This is the gift America needs you to give.
You can do this, because you have a generous heart.
QUESTION:
What makes you feel hopeful about America these days?
Just hit REPLY to let me know. I read every email.
If you want more ideas on how to connect with people whose views differ from yours,
here is another of my posts:
Do I see life in black and white, or is my vision free and colorful?