Not Mutually Exclusive

Living gratefully today, I say thank you to Mother Nature for the amazing weather the last few days, and for my job and the opportunities it presents each working day.

A recent "Word for the Day" at www.gratefulness.org reads: 

Heartbreak and hope are not mutually exclusive. We can be angry and sad and filled with longing for something we cannot have, and simultaneously we can be grateful for what we’ve got — aware, for reasons we’d never choose, of what really matters and what doesn’t.   (Lennon Flowers) 

It follows nicely from yesterday's post about stark contrasts. It seems, from my vantage point as an American citizen anyway, that my country and our world have become polarized, divisive, so "all or nothing" that common ground is harder to come by. 

Lennon Flowers reminds us that we can coexist with our own inner struggles and emotional dichotomies. Consider also that we can coexist as fellow humans. Our stories of heartbreak and hope can become common ground to unify us in our humanity. 

Differing opinions and views on all sorts of topics could then enjoy a healthier discourse. Or simply be set aside while we talk about our true passions--family, friends, hobbies, our jobs. Heartbreak and hope aren't mutually exclusive. They can even help us become more inclusive. Let's listen to one another's stories. It is there we find what really matters and what really doesn't.