What Better Time Than Now?

It seems to me that communication between friends, family, and co-workers have been somewhat heated these past couple of months.  Have you noticed that?  Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been flooded with political post after political post.  To be honest, I have been so overwhelmed by the interaction people are having with one another that it has been hard to read posts from friends and family members.  All year round, I say that we should view conflict, not as something we should fear, but as something we welcome, in order to enter into deep and meaningful conversations with people so that we might LISTEN and so that we might also share in order to come to a peaceful resolution.  So, why is it so difficult to do these things when it comes to politics?  Maybe because we were always taught “not to discuss politics or religion” and here the entire world is “discussing” both!

Here is what I am posing: WE ARE MEDIATORS!  We have brilliant tools, resources, and the ability to enter into conversations where people can feel heard, valued, and understood.  We preach peaceful resolution and so, I believe, this is our time to shine.  People still have the deep need to be understood.  This is a point in time where mediation can shine in the darkness- where conversations can be facilitated in order to bring about understanding to people who may be in deep conflict.  I have seen families and friends torn apart over this past election and it has created this atmosphere of angst, fear, anger, and all around discomfort.  BUT WE, the mediators, have a burden placed upon us: a burden to facilitate hopeful, meaningful, and impactful conversations.  There is a great opportunity for us to seize and that is to demonstrate creative and constructive ways to host conversations for those in conflict.  Is there room for us, in our personal lives, to practice the things we have committed to in the non-profit realm?  Of course!

We are leaders in this current state of conflict!  We are people who have felt the call to bring peaceful restoration back into the lives of the people around us, our community!  We have the capacity to not only be a voice, but to be the EARS hearing other voices!  William Ury states something marvelous, “I have come to the conclusion that the greatest obstacle to getting what we really want in life is not the other party, as difficult as he or she can be. The biggest obstacle is actually ourselves.”  Have we become barriers, or have we been intentional about breaking those down and inviting people into meaningful conversation?  The charge I give to each of us (myself included) is this: allow mediation and your great ability to communicate to unfold at the forefront with all those you come across who may be experiencing profound conflict during this political climate.  Perhaps we can help to ease the anger and tension just by being the ears of understanding- where we are actually listening to them to listen- not to judge according to our own standards.  Are we willing?  What better time than now?

#MediationWins #ListenToUnderstand #WhatBetterTimeThanNow