Where are the peacemakers?
To those who are wearing masks in accordance with CDC, state, and local guidance to help prevent the community transmission of COVID-19 where ever you are… Thank you for putting the health and well-being of others first. To those who are speaking out against the guidelines from our government and who are resisting wearing masks with the intention to ensure that our freedom and liberties are upheld… Thank you for looking out for rights for all of us and for raising a red flag that this guidance may lead us down a slippery slope of loss of freedoms and liberties. Of course there are other reasons why people choose to wear or not wear a mask, but these two are the best of good intentions for all on either “side” that I’ve come across thus far.
The two sides are clear, to wear masks or not to wear masks. It feels like almost everyone is posting their opinion on the matter. And, just like every other “us vs. them” story in the history books of humanity, both sides believe in their rightness and Truth. Each day it feels like the bickering, arguing, disrespecting, and at times, displays of downright cold-hearted wickedness won’t end. And it won’t end, unless we stop participating in it.
It is about masks right now, but this is only a flaring symptom from a deeper root cause. We are so quick to choose sides. Perpetuating the divisions between “us” vs “them.” Telling “them” they are wrong. Explaining the reasons why “we” are right. Our instinct is to judge and separate “right” vs “wrong” (or “good” vs “bad”). We’ve been ingrained with our founding myths, stories, and beliefs that may make some of us believe that there is truly only one “right” and all the rest are “wrong”. But, what if the person wearing a mask passing by you in a store protects you and your family from becoming sick because she was wearing the mask? What if the person protesting against wearing masks is also the first person to stand next to you when your civil rights are compromised in a different way?
Even with the best of good intentions on any “one” side, whether “right” or “wrong,” we will all fall divided into pieces. Unless we work together to find balance and harmony now, once the pandemic is long in the history books, there will be another argument to divide us. Every “us” vs “them” battle is warfare against our hearts and until we (humanity) figure out how to find the narrow path between the polarities and extremes of taking sides, we’re going to end up in exactly the same predicament that we are in today. It will just be about something other than masks.
We don’t need to know whether or not you agree with wearing a mask. What we need are the peacemakers to speak up and remind us to find balance within all sides. To listen. To show empathy. To acknowledge and validate even if we do not agree. To be… humane.
This is for those who may not have felt they could speak up from the well of wisdom on the narrow pathway of peace. You already know what we are up against right here and right now. You know that truth exists in all of creation and the work we are charged with is to bring harmony to the places that are fractured and divided. We need you. Write it. Speak it. Do it. Whatever it is that is in your heart that this world needs. You’ve got the superhero-peacemaking-power in your soul and the world is ready for you. It’s your time to shine bright. 
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❤️
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