People speak of harmony…
To me, it is so very specific and clear;
Harmony is
hearing the cries for help
realizing that kneeling is a respectable form of protest, and
knowing that protest by definition contains fibers of disrespect.
Harmony is
people whom you’ve never met standing up for your pain
accepting that we all have a responsibility in our current situation…
Disharmony is
looking for who is to blame.
Harmony is
understanding that good people do bad things and
bad people do good things.
It is understanding that we are judged not on whether we are “good” or “bad”,
but judged on the things we do.
Harmony is
accepting that we are all part of the human race…
that it’s the only race that matters.
And, it is understanding that we don’t all need to like each other,
for us to respect each other.
Harmony is
realizing that not all lives can matter,
until black lives matter.
It’s understanding that just because black lives matter,
doesn’t mean others don’t.
Harmony is
police kneeling in acknowledgement of the pain and the injustice.
It is walking together…
Harmony is LOVE…
Disharmony is HATE…
Harmony is working to change the future…
Disharmony is dwelling on the injustice and inequity of the past… or wishing even for a moment that we could change it.
Harmony is realizing our parents racism didn’t make them bad people, it made them people who grew up educated in a distorted and unjust value system with respect to race.
Disharmony is proliferating that unjust value system, and not embracing and accepting a more enlightened and loving world together.
Disharmony is violence… in any shape or form, even in self-defense.
Harmony is realizing that disharmony is not wrong… it just doesn’t serve us toward a sustainable and joyful existence if it drives us more than the alternative.
Harmony is realizing that people don’t choose to be poor, they don’t choose to be uneducated… and it’s also realizing that all of us have the capacity to improve ourselves.
Harmony is knowing that the only day that we can change the world for the better is today…
And, it’s choosing to do so.
Harmony is hope.
Harmony is realizing that the world is evolved and enlightened more than it ever has been with respect to race … as witnessed by the election and admiration by so many of a black President, of a global voice in support of progress… of a global pain in response to death.
Disharmony is wishing racism didn’t exist, or wishing it was already dormant… or expecting that it ever will be fully gone.
Harmony is realizing that in a world of billions of people some will always hate, injustice will always be present in some form… Disharmony will always exist.
Harmony is realizing that even within that truth - a brighter, better world is possible and probable… where the frequency of and tolerance for racism will be a rarer and rarer event… and the might of the world will rest on the shoulders of justice, equity, and love.
Harmony is realizing that it starts with me (and you).
Harmony is realizing that to change a billion perspectives you must first change one. And, that one must be you.
It’s realizing that they won’t all change.
Harmony is evolving.
I sat through the lessons of racism as a child.
But they could never penetrate my heart.
Love always seemed like a better answer.
And yet, I am still racist, because I am human.
I still draw pre-conceived conclusions on people based on their race… or on other things.
To live in harmony, doesn’t mean perfection.
It doesn’t mean we don’t get to be human.
It means we need to go beyond where we’ve been… and deliberately choose where we are going, what we are creating… so that it is not just good and just for us, but good and just for all.
Harmony is an acceptance of the now… and a commitment to help create better.
Disharmony is wishing the now was different… and the believe that better is only possible through other people’s actions and evolution.
Harmony is knowing you can never be fully right. We will never be in complete agreement.
Disharmony is believing you are completely right. Disharmony is righteousness and arrogance and ignorance… as those three so very often go hand in hand.
Harmony is painful, sad, unjust at times… it’s unfair and a struggle…
Disharmony tries to artificially appease you - comfort you. “It’s not your fault.” “It’s those people.” “Of course you are right.” “You know best.”
Harmony requires you to consider things you’d rather not… “Why are they angry?” “Why do they think they’re right.” How can I help”, “Where do we agree?”
Harmony is truth, it’s real, it’s now.
Harmony is love.
Disharmony is hate…
And, it happens in every moment.
None of us own harmony or disharmony.
We are all dancing in and out of one … and the other.
Know it when you see it.
Know it when you feel it.
It matters where you spend your time.
It matters how you spend your time.
It so very much matters
to understand the difference.
In love…
Choose love…
and harmony,
Nestor