Over the past month or so I’ve been listening to The Bible in a Year podcast on an almost daily basis. The past nine months have included a reading of The Daily Stoic most mornings. Over the past year I’ve read a book related to Buddhism, listened to podcasts from an atheist, spend time alone in quiet thought, and had many other moments of learning from a wide variety of other resources. What’s interesting to me is how much so many of them have in common at their core.

There is so much divisiveness in the medias – both news and social. So often it seems that people are more interested in pointing out why someone is wrong rather than listening to where they are coming from. Quick to judge, slow to listen, more talk than action.

What I’m grateful for today is the eclectic mix of resources I’ve been consuming over the past year or so. On listening to each there’ve been times when my disagreements in their beliefs were deepened as well as times when I saw the other side through a completely different light which made sense. Many times I’m left with more questions than answers and I can feel my mind twisting as it starts to maintain three or more opposing views at the same time. The strain is wild but so wonderful in a growth sort of way.

As I alluded to earlier there’s one thing more than any other that resonates louder than anything else…. their commonalities.

Be kind to others and the earth. Love one another as we wish to be loved.

Be humble and remember our tiny place for just a flash in the giant universe which lasts for eternity.

Be strong and courageous to do right in the world.

Be silent and still to hear our true voice.

Be love.

While we may argue and disagree about what largely amounts to semantics the five lessons above are universal. Living into them is the difficult part.

As I see more and more of the common ground I more clearly see the gap between who I am and who I am called to be. The gap is larger than I carr to admit, but with the other side in sight I can take one step at a time to get there.

Thanks!!!