Epidemiologists talk about herd immunity when a critical level of a population is immunized from a particular pathogen.
Our Country is under viral attack from within and without.
Whether it is the lunatic in the White House, his minions in the executive branch the Legislative branch or misinformation seeded by foreign governments it is killing our Country.
If you are doing everything you can to get out the vote and slow the spread of the disease great, but as important as voting is there is more to be done.
What if everyone of us was a little warmer when we talk to everyone?
What if we were unwaveringly kind to one another?
What if we accepted our wayward political opponents and ourselves as humans possessed by a treatable disease?
Anger, hatred, racism, bigotry, xenophobia, homophobia, greed, selfishness are all treatable diseases none of them are cureable, but all of them can be driven into remission.
If you have ever been exposed to any of these diseases you are a carrier.
Yes I am saying everyone of us are haters, racists, bigots, xenophobics, homophobia’s, misers, selfish...
Some of us have our diseases in remission, some of us don’t know that their disease is manageable.
That is the only difference between the would be righteous and those that are destroying our Country from within.
The Treatment must come from within, but everyone of us can be agent for helping others drive their diseases into remission.
The first step is discovering that you have choices where previously you only had unmonitored behaviors.
By creating a climate of kindness, by exhibiting patience, by listening without interrupting we can sow the seeds where introspection can grow.
I know shouting and righteous indignation seem appropriate to the horrors unfolding around us, but they are a trap.
Try this self diagnostic:
Do you go through the day with a bitter metallic taste in your Mouth. That is the taste of adrenaline.
Are you frequently agitated, but don’t know why, that is free floating hostility.
When you get cut off in traffic do you say to your self Wow that was scary I hope the person in the other car is alright, or do you immediately judge them and want to hunt them down and punish them. That is hurry up disease.
Remember, you don’t know the other driver, you don’t know if they are rushing to a hospital because their child has been hurt. Maybe their dog just died.
Of course they could just be an inconsiderate jerk, but how would you feel if you found out that their child had been hurt?
If we want civility back, if we want our hard won civil rights back we must become the instruments of change.
Again warmth, kindness, patience, compassion, empathy, acceptance are the tools that can heal the world.
Change won’t come easy, it never does.
I am not saying you will never be angry again that is ridiculous.
Think about these “social diseases” like addictions relapse is inevitable.
But without relapse we can’t learn how to recover from relapse.
If you find yourself having relapsed apologize immediately, especially to yourself.
Make a better choice and move forward.
I haven’t forgotten about herd immunity, if we are all kinder more patience, more accepting we are creating a climate where more people can discover that they can choose not to hate, not to dehumanize, to listen with an open heart. We lower the chance of contagion for everybody.
We can recreate a Country with wide differences of option, but that believes in one another’s good intentions.
I know with elections 2 weeks away we are all stretched and stressed, but what better time to choose to start changing the climate that is stressing us in the first place.
I am so proud of all of you. {{{{{all y’all}}}}}