I am a warrior. You are a warrior. Each day we fight battles that are seen and unseen, known and unknown, conscious and unconscious. We are skilled artisans of the challenge. We are warriors who enter each battle with weapons forged in the furnace of peace and compassion. Our warrior spirits are courageous, curiously daring, and intentional.
Starbucks has a new program that offers a free cup of coffee for those willing to dialogue with someone who has opposing political views. These individuals are self selected, which to me, means that they willingly cross division’s barren land with the intent to really listen to another. Crossing the divide and entering the middle ground requires those weapons forged with peace and compassion.
I imagine that these two people sitting over coffee are warrior farmers. They meet one another in the middle ground with scraps from their dinner tables. Tossing their individual scraps into a collective compost pile, their meeting become a place of rich discover as they identify, respect, and discuss differences. Differences, like the decomposing items that cannot be separated, become nourishment for the garden when respected and understood.
Listening provides the turning of the compost. Through listening they identify the beliefs and judgements that create differences. Within this conversation, both are able to recognize
As compost is worked into the soil, these two warrior farmers move beyond surface arguments to enter into a place of deeper listening. A listening only possible with deep respect of one another. When each really listens to the opinions and beliefs of the other, both gain a greater understanding of why one or the other chose to plant different ideas and concepts in their garden plot.
Maybe there still isn’t agreement; maybe the differences are just too fundamentally opposed. But, I would like to believe that one and the other, together, discover some noxious plants in both garden plots that must be weeded out. Both warrior gardeners, through respectful listening help one another tend to the garden collectively. Perhaps they come to an understanding that a it matters less how right you are and matters most how respect and understanding feed the collective garden.
As these warrior-farmers leave the table at Starbucks, I see them grabbing coffee grinds from the free to all bin. Together, they journey to that shared garden and sprinkle the grounds on the compost pile. They turn the grounds into the compost. Understanding doesn’t just end with one conversation over free cups of coffee; that is the beginning. The work of community continues by spreading those ground like collective wisdom gained through understanding.
Maybe I am a warrior dreamer. But, I believe if we can cross the barren land and intentionally listen to one another, that we can grow our gardens into a bountiful harvest that provides for all. But, that garden nurtured by mutual respect and understanding while using the weapons of peace and compassion.
Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is a Mindful Coach, Compassion Consultant, Professional Speaker, and Author who weaves her inner wisdom into all she touches. Contact Vanessa @ hurst.vanessa@gmail.com
Her books are A Constellation of Connections: Contemplative Relationships and Engaging Compassion Through Intent & Action.
Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / Twitter: @fyrserpent
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