In a society that is challenging any number of things and attempting to justify behaviors and actions by attempting to reshape history, it is critical that we pause and look for wisdom to guide our thoughts, actions, and deeds. By seeking wisdom and prudence we can collectively call upon and distinguish between the good and bad of any situation.
As odd as this might sound, the best place to seek shelter in a storm of cultural conflict is right out in the open. Being completely open and sharing complete truth stops the storm in its tracks. Culture storms feed on disagreement and twisted information. If you stand up for the truth, then there is no more cultural storm to deal with. It will likely be an initially rough road but in the long run the path is smooth thereafter.
If we really want to understand and appreciate others, we must first start with being generous with our time to learn about others. We can not expect for the future to be great if we shortchange our current time to be generous with our time for others today. Challenge yourself to take some time today and be generous with your time to say hello to a stranger. Ask them their name and share your name so that both of you can raise the worth of each other from nameless to the honor of having a name.
Our society is bent on highlighting the various factions and their differences. Too much of this difference highlighting is to cause division rather than mutual understanding and appreciation. The journey we are all on in this great nation needs to bring focus on what we can learn from our past and take that into consideration to build a better future. Let’s build productive relationships so our culture can flourish for many years into the future.
Our traditional celebration of Labor Day is now complete. This day of country recognition of the work culture we are all so proud of was built by the strong hands and backs of “We the People.” Our freedoms and the challenges they cause will continue to present themselves. It is incumbent upon each of us to contribute in a positive and productive way to build our future together.
On this holiday in which we celebrate Labor and how it has contributed to the success of this great nation, we at JKL Associates pause and salute those men and women of are armed forces who labor 365 days 24 hours a day to allow us to enjoy the freedoms we have. Today we skip our typical Monday video and ask that you take the next 60 seconds to give thanks and even send up a prayer for the safety of those who labor in our armed services for our benefit.
As we approach Labor Day weekend in the US, we need to reflect on how labor is a contributing factor in the past, current and future best outcomes of this great nation. Rome was not built in a day, but fire destroyed it very quickly. Nor was this nation quickly formed but it to can be taken down very quickly if We The People don’t understand that we need to work together and labor for our freedoms.
In this the 21st century we may not need to build the ark to deal with 40 days of rain or even the melting of the polar ice cap, but we may need a new type of ark to keep us safe from drowning in the sea of fallacies spread like flood waters on to each of us daily. In the story of the ark, people laughed at the building but then craved to be on the boat when the rains came. What are you doing to navigate the onslaught of fallacies which are flooding your mind?
The energy buzz of our daily lives gives us little time to stop and take time to enter the room of silence. To block out the noise and actually listen to what is really going on around us. People are almost scared to not have noise in their ears and flashing smartphone screens filling their eyes. Pausing and taking in the nature sounds of the world which are not curated for you is a great way to find not only yourself but to re-experience the world in a whole new way.
It seems that middle ground no longer exists in our society. It is driving larger separations between individuals, families, organizations and in general our society. The ability for two parties to have open constructive discussion is fading into the past. Fueled by social media and instant gratification, opposing sides splatter opinions like paint or spaghetti on the wall hoping it sticks and someone hears it as the final truth. Unfortunately, the community at large is penalized as opinions take on an urban legend type hype and in turn the direction of the future is altered not for the good of society but for the benefit of the loudest squeaking wheel.