By Gary Hall
I was in the Havasupai Canyon during election day, our last backpack of the year. It was peaceful and beautiful, and the ten-mile hike out on a pristine desert day was calming and inspiring. It gave me a chance to reflect on the turbulence in our American political landscape, but to also reaffirm some of my core beliefs about the good ol’ USA and what we each locally can do to overcome division.
First, I believe that the American institutions will overcome the current-day schisms. We have been through so much in nearly 250 years of history, and our system has gotten us through. We did it before and we can do it again.
Second, I believe that the majority of American are compassionate, good people. Almost all of your fellow Americans will be kind if you are kind to them. So now, we should all stay informed and think unity. Be attuned to those who want to divide and resist that. Instead, help bridge those divisions with consciousness and listening.
Third, despite the “hot-button” issues, most of us share certain basic beliefs about our citizenship and what it means. The great majority of us do believe in the rights that have been our bedrock: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. We believe in freedom of speech and religion. We are all individuals, but we are all Americans. Let us start our discussions from the common points and work from there.
Read full feature here:
https://estesvalleyvoice.com/2024/11/12/autumnal-equanimity/
