Combat Incomprehensible Hate with Relentless Love
When the calendar turned the page in 2020, we could almost hear a collective sigh of relief and expectation that the year that challenged humanity in generational ways was over. Yet, not even half way into January and it is clear that the test, the gauntlet is far from over. We are feeling victimized and collectively asking whether we have the perseverance, the wherewithal and energy to weather more struggle.
The calendar may have changed, but much remains the same, leaving many asking why and waiting for a shift, waiting for justice, a vaccine, the inauguration, waiting for others to step in and turn the page. And wondering of course, what on earth did we do to deserve this and how we got here in the first place.
The hard truth is that in In many ways 2020 didn’t happen to us, it’s because of us. The truth is the saviour, isn’t coming, there is no external force to course correct. The truth is the shift will not come until the we reflect and do some deep soul searching about how we landed in this perfect storm, the trifecta of a pandemic, polarized politics and deep, deep inequality.
The truth is that our collective path needed to be recalibrated, the signals were there, deep divisions, polarizing political rhetoric, cavernous inequality, a planet that is heating up and at war with itself. It’s hard to fathom that we have allowed this to happen and that we collectively even enabled it. The truth is that 2020 was so jarring because we needed it to be, we needed something extreme to get our attention because we were unwilling to shift against the multiple nudges, the signs, the data, the lived experience that signalled that we were way off course.
2021 is our moment of truth, our collective turning point, we face the greatest question of our generation, are we willing to make the shifts, to understand that it is only through our collective will to change our path. We need to understand that humanity, all of us, have the agency, the authority the knowledge and the power within ourselves to ensure that the incomprehensible devastation that culminated in 2020 becomes a historical turning point not because of what happened to us but what we did in response to it.
Easier said than done of course, the challenges we face are incredibly complex,
the path to heal and shift with be neither easy or straightforward, nor should they be. Complex challenges require a constellation, an integrated web of responses working in coordination that understands there isn’t one answer nor nor one entity that alone holds it.
There is however, a clear place to start and yes brace yourself, for what will sounds simple yet is inconceivably powerfully complex —- we need to combat the extremes of hate, fear, inequality, and hate with unrelenting love, compassion and empathy. There I said it.
And yeah I get it, this sounds silly in the face of such crises, love is the answer??? What the ...?
Think about it...if we truly lead with love, wouldn’t we adhere to public health provisions to keep each other safe? Wouldn’t we elect public officials who are unifying and ethical? Wouldn’t we would demand equality? Wouldn’t we would care for our planet? Wouldn’t we want everyone to thrive?
If we lead with with love, we would not need externalized makers of success, brands, labels or celebrity nor would we need to seek out ideology, membership, exclusivity, being the vip because we would inherently understand that we are better when we stand together as one humanity, celebrating diversity with unifying love and that club earthling is the only membership we need.
Love matters, it always has, it matters more now than it ever has before. If it is where we start everything else that will flow from it will carry its energy and slowly, we will heal. When we start with love we will undoubtedly choose what’s in our collective best interest. When we start with love we would insulate ourselves against what’s meant to break us down.
Love is the antidote, the fuel that will ultimately take us further as one humanity, the choice is ours, its our move.
Peggy Taillon
Founder and President HERA Mission www.heramission.org
@heramission
613-769-5499