Rain Reminders

I really do not plan on blogging too much about current events, politics or even religion, but all I've been able to think about this week has been the Quran burning news story out of Florida.  I have been very troubled by this story.  I find it unbelievable that in a country that prides itself on freedom of speech, thought and religion some people still manage to hole themselves into remarkably small world views.  Often times these ideas limit and restrict the freedom of others around them.

Bias is everywhere.  I am not going to deny that.  We all have our own views and perspectives of right and wrong and our world is a very complicated place because of that.  However, there are ways in which we can live out, express our beliefs and follow our truths that don't actually inhibit, restrict or misconstrue the beliefs of others.  This world does not need to be any more complicated than it already is.

The horrors of September 11th were lasting and devastating.  It was awful to watch as the day unfolded. It was equally hard to learn the acts of a very small group of people could inflict so much pain and devastation in such a short time span.  The consequences of that fateful day are still surfacing.  However, it wasn't carried out because of the teachings of Islam.  It was also not an act that every Muslim in the world condoned.  To make the generalization that all of Islam preaches terrorism is absolutely untrue.  It was in fact similar generalizations of America and Americans that lead to that fateful day in 2001.

Sometimes I wish we had all listened better in grade school when our teachers reminded us of how valuable it was to listen to each other and know the whole story before we chose our actions and words.  I was taught once that we should "treat others as they would want to be treated."  It was an interesting twist that reminded me that people come from their own perspective and place, and to interact effectively I must understand that.

We had the windows open tonight as we sat down for dinner.  It was peaceful to hear the rain fall outside.  As I sat there, with the candles glowing because I am my mother's daughter, I was reminded of a proverb I came across a long time ago.  It's a Malagasy proverb and it says, "Let your love fall like the misty rain, coming softly but flooding the river."  As I sat there immersed in thought, I was comforted by the knowledge that love has no end, no boundaries.  Hatred has limits.  There will always be horrible atrocities carried out throughout this world, but these acts are limiting and only set up new road blocks.  Love does not.  Love opens us up to new opportunities for acceptance and understanding.

I don't have any fantastical ideas of global acceptance.  However, tonight I am comforted in knowing that while some people will never see beyond their own views, many people already do.  And that small realization was enough to remind me that there is hope.  An opportunity where perhaps a few more people will broaden their understanding, and then a few more will follow.  Then, like a flooding river, we can start seeing the similarities in one another and not the differences.