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Rx for Resilience: Indivisible
From college graduations to gatherings in neighborhoods of communities large and small, we are grappling with what it means to be an American, the new aspects of our democracy and the implications for civil society. Honing our skills of patience, awareness, tolerance, listening, learning and “being” with difference are the modes we need to approach the next six months and the four years following the election. These abilities can be especially trying during times of personal crisis, financial and/or job setbacks, and the larger instability of the geopolitical threats on multiple continents.
But those who penned the Pledge of Allegiance likely faced as many, if not more, formidable challenges than we face currently. Before you think about moving to Costa Rica or Portugal, consider what these times require of us and what we have within ourselves to meet the moment. For most of us, that may be a strength that we have never had to access -or only very occasionally with life’s toughest curve balls. Like many of the most daunting experiences in life, we are provided an opportunity to grow, lead, serve and “be” in ways we haven’t been called before. At times like this, let’s remember who we are, harnessing the courage of those founding fathers who came before us and the many, many people who lost their lives to defend our freedom whom we will remember on Memorial Day next weekend. We also need to invoke the courage of those who have done tremendous healing – veterans, Native American leaders and our African American ancestors through whom much of this nation was built and to whom we owe great debt. We honor all of the sacrifices that made/make America great and knit together that which unifies us so that we remain always: indivisible.
Here is a Ted Talk that has perspectives on how you can cultivate a generous and open nature with those who think differently than you, providing a basis to live, to learn, to heal and to be the best citizens of which we are capable now and always. You will meet Scott Carter at GlobalMindED as part of the Ten Year Anniversary celebration of inclusive leaders and change-makers.
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