
PART 1 ARTICLE 22 AUDIO FILE IN FOOTER ♫
In a world troubled by division, in a previous article, I reflected on the need to heal by contributing love to transform negative energy. I stand by that statement, but I realize it only addresses part of the challenge.
As a liberal, I resonate deeply with the principles of compassion, and respect what my political stance represents. Yet, like political structures, human nature is imperfect. We all contribute to the division by judging people with opposing views. When we dismiss others as wrong or even evil, we perpetuate hate instead of fostering understanding and peace.
We all want our side to win. Of course, we do. But the truth is, we can never truly win if we do so at the expense of everyone who isn’t exactly like us. True progress doesn’t come from hating or defeating one another, it emerges only from finding common ground. A healthy society cannot thrive if we undermine one another needing to be right rather than compassionate. This division brings only suffering and feeds the powerful, who thrive on a divided humanity blinded by conflict and greed.

Imagine, instead, a world where leaders and citizens alike prioritize empathy and mutual respect over self-interest. Though this may sound idealistic, it is the only way to break the cycle of hate.
Unfortunately, humans are run by their egos and politicians and media promote divisive narratives to manipulate our perceptions. We end up making decisions based on skewed versions of “truth” presented by those in power who benefit from our division and anger at one another.
Truth itself is rarely shown. And even if it is, how would we ever recognize it? People choose sides in a war based on what the powerful want us to see. How can any of us make rational decisions about what or who is right?
Our anger at one another harms each of us, but it benefits politicians, billionaires, corporations, and other institutions of power. When we are busy fighting each other, we fail to see the puppet masters keeping us divided. Meanwhile, humanity continues to suffer, placing blame in all the wrong places.

We must find a way to deprive these forces of their power. That can only happen if we, the people, choose cooperation, mutual respect, and peace.
I don’t ask anyone to give up their beliefs — nor will I. However, we must examine not only what we believe but also how we express and share those beliefs. Freedom of speech is a cornerstone of democracy, but it loses its power when tainted by hate. Dialogue needs to be grounded in respect and a willingness to engage in peaceful dialogue.
We must closely monitor what we ourselves put out there, consciously extracting hate, contempt, and the belligerent need to be right. We must either ignore hate directed toward us or search for a spark of positivity in it to which we can respond. I believe attempting to change another person is not only impossible but may even be morally wrong. It is far more important to focus on what is good in them and in us — and respond only to that.
It is also crucial to critically assess our chosen news sources in the same way.

Eastern philosophies, which teach principles like Namaste — “I bow to the best in you” — offer a pathway toward compassion in human interactions. While we need not change our beliefs to please others, listening with an open heart can lead us to understand and respect diverse perspectives. Supporting positive voices on social media, encouraging compassion, and interacting with kindness all foster the love our world so desperately needs.
In this journey toward healing, let us strive to reduce hate in every word, action, and post, rewarding kindness and looking beyond negativity to find humanity in each other. Only when love and peace become our priorities, person by person and moment by moment, can we begin to heal our world.
