Right and Wrong
My friend asks me, "How am I right and they're wrong?"
What is my responsibility? How do I respond to my friend?
I can at least say what is not my job. It is not my responsibility to tell them what makes them different, why she's better, what makes "them" wrong. It is not for me to react or take personally their hurts or fears.
It is my responsibility to ask questions, "why do you ask?" or "what do you think?" or "is that the best question?"
At least, to work through the question myself, before I give any definitive answers. I'm honored when I'm asked directly a question, because that means that someone is looking for my opinion, so it's tempting to answer directly (maybe my head/ego is a bit puffed up) as that's easiest.
At the most, is to help them see the bigger picture. I personally don't comprehend the complete picture perhaps (read: probably) but I can try help my friend see past "me" and "them." To see the us, the similarities, what unites us, is the primary.
Secondly, to also see any underlying principles that do differ us, and dig into any of the truths that are clearly different and contradictory may be helpful. It is important to remember that I am not the judge of what is right and wrong, but I must do my best job to be honest and impersonally assess.
Finally, the ultimate answer for the friend, for this and almost any question, is "I don't know" or "I'm not sure."
As I try to help them work through this painful question, a question of separation and difference, of right and wrong, I must be humble to admit and take responsibility for the fact that I do not have all (read: any of) the answers and they may have to come to some of their own conclusions. My job is to guide them out of their fears and into their faith.
Their faith in themselves, in others, in humanity, and in Us. In the Divine. In the One.
What is my responsibility? How do I respond to my friend?
I can at least say what is not my job. It is not my responsibility to tell them what makes them different, why she's better, what makes "them" wrong. It is not for me to react or take personally their hurts or fears.
It is my responsibility to ask questions, "why do you ask?" or "what do you think?" or "is that the best question?"
At least, to work through the question myself, before I give any definitive answers. I'm honored when I'm asked directly a question, because that means that someone is looking for my opinion, so it's tempting to answer directly (maybe my head/ego is a bit puffed up) as that's easiest.
At the most, is to help them see the bigger picture. I personally don't comprehend the complete picture perhaps (read: probably) but I can try help my friend see past "me" and "them." To see the us, the similarities, what unites us, is the primary.
Secondly, to also see any underlying principles that do differ us, and dig into any of the truths that are clearly different and contradictory may be helpful. It is important to remember that I am not the judge of what is right and wrong, but I must do my best job to be honest and impersonally assess.
Finally, the ultimate answer for the friend, for this and almost any question, is "I don't know" or "I'm not sure."
As I try to help them work through this painful question, a question of separation and difference, of right and wrong, I must be humble to admit and take responsibility for the fact that I do not have all (read: any of) the answers and they may have to come to some of their own conclusions. My job is to guide them out of their fears and into their faith.
Their faith in themselves, in others, in humanity, and in Us. In the Divine. In the One.
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