Why Don’t You Just Meet Me in the Middle?

(Reprint from a personal post previously published on Facebook)

For many reasons which are too long to enumerate, I am not a fan of Mr. Trump. And the truth is, I wouldn’t be a fan of any man or woman who had his personality traits: his proclivity for put downs, his tendency towards pettiness, his constant need to blame everyone but himself and his narcissistic auto pilot behavior to make himself the center of every situation is not something I find personally admirable or desirable, President or not.

But, that doesn’t preclude me from being a fan of YOU – if you are one of those people who feel completely the opposite about him than I do – that is cool.

I have no interest in participating in any tribal taunts or tirades. I am not part of a tribe other than that of shared humanity at this time and place.

But I do have interest in connecting with you, listening to you, coming to understand you better and allowing love, grace, compassion and empathy to guide me.

Well I may not understand where you are coming from, that doesn’t mean I can’t find things we have in common and make those things the ground on which we meet.

Whether you are a mask wearer or a mask resister – we too can find common ground, but I may practice social distancing in the process.

For the last four years I have refused to let partisan ideology divide me from anyone I love – because believe it or not, this too shall pass. Trump will someday be a page in a history book just like every President before him. And what shall I have gained if I allowed hate and resentment to inhabit my heart over my feelings regarding this one individual? Those emotions only destroy the person who holds onto such negativity – not the person they project it upon.

I also will not make excuses for my personal preferences in leadership qualities as those of you who find his style desirable don’t hesitate to make your enthusiasm known. This is the beauty of the phrase “to each his own.”

America is simply an idea, a lofty experiment based on a set of principles. What has and will always make us great is the character of the people who call themselves American.

I hope that you will extend the same graciousness to me when I view the world differently. I hope you will look for ways to connect with me other than in the arena of politics or religion.

I hope that when you and I bump elbows or wave from a distance – we can smile and appreciate each other for the goodness we seek in our hearts and the love we feel for family and friends.

If I could, I would teach the world to sing together in perfect harmony . . . but right now, I will settle for just my one note in this eternal melody of human existence. This is the song in my heart.

This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.

The Zen Den

Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.