If You Were Me

Have you ever asked that question? Whether silently or aloud? And of whom did you ask it? Was it a friend who you felt at the time didn’t understand you or your beliefs? Did you feel alone and naked in front of the world – no one under the sun gets you? Is that where you were when you asked that question?

Or perhaps you didn’t ask this specific question. Maybe someone asked it of you. At that moment, what were your feelings? What did they need from you and did you have what it takes to answer the question honestly? Did you do so? Or did you whiffle it off?

Interesting isn’t it? Whether it is you doing the asking or someone else doing so of you, the need to ask the question is one thing. The ability to answer it honestly is yet another.

I contemplate the current presidential campaign, the debates, the news quips and the ads. I shudder every time that we are faced with this rhetoric and gamesmanship. All in the name of democracy. What a laugh. What a travesty. What was once noble is now a sham.

But then ask the question of yourself and someone you know as a friend who believes in the opposite candidate. What would you answer if your friend asked you, “If you were me what would you do/believe?” and return that favor by asking the same question of your friend.

See what the answers would be. Really try to grasp the reality of why the answer is what it is. Why do people believe and feel the way they do? That is the core of this question. And what we then need to do to make the answers not only different, but the asking of the question as well. Why do we ask the question? Why is it necessary for the individuals? What do we have to do to make the need not necessary?

Perhaps that is the real job we need to be doing.

Because, put simply, we are too focused on ourselves to actually feel what it’s like to live in another’s shoes.

Look back on my series of posts on divided communities. If we were paying attention to each other wouldn’t our communities remain whole? And when problems arose wouldn’t those issues be attended to and repaired? In doing that wouldn’t we learn more about our communities and each other to improve our communities in the first place and ensure they remain healthy and viable?

I think so. If you had a career in social agencies or in churches and medical professions in which the goal is to serve the needs of others, I think you would agree with my take on this. Because conditions are what they are today, we need to adjust what we do.

The service agencies are doing their part; are the rest of us? And if we aren’t, what do we have to do to engage ordinary citizens in such work?

Recently I have received mentoring requests from people reaching out in heavily damaged communities to begin service agencies that will address what’s wrong. That’s a good sign. It uplifts me just knowing there are others ‘out there’ willing to take on this work. It is after all their community in need of help. They are living there and experiencing the context of the problems. They will know better than anyone else what to do about the problems. And how to help those afflicted with the living conditions.

Improved housing will be one goal. So too improved access to medical care and education, early childhood preparation for school, day care for parents out and about earning a living to support their families. And of course economic development to replace the jobs that have vanished so completely in some areas.

Along the way we will need citizens who will come to understand how to govern the same communities and their demographic context so future problems can be avoided entirely, or if not, at least minimized in their effects. Too much suffering going on in what was once strong and viable communities. So much future yet to be rekindled.

We have made mistakes in America. Our problems come from some of those mistakes but not all. Mainly our mistakes are made in addressing the problems in a timely manner. Too many people feel that belongs with some other power. I disagree. It is our work to be done.

Because it is our community suffering. The community in which we live. Better happy ever after than condemned to the margins of society where hope is lost and violence reigns supreme. There is much to do and we are the only ones who can do it.

Amen!

September 29, 2016