The other day someone told me that” one should never discuss politics with family members” when you know they hold different opinions. I understand their perspective; however, as a practitioner of Mindfulness, I see things differently.
One’s ability to communicate and express their views and ideas to another, whether family or not, is inherent to the compassionate gesture of respect.
To quote Mary Karr, American writer, poet and essayist, “A dysfunctional family is any family with more than one person in it”. Conflicts with others, including family, is inevitable. It’s human nature. And often conflicts arise with those we love. Love connotates understanding and acceptance. If we have to hold back from expressing our views with family members or having family members withhold their views from us because they may stir conflict, we lose one of the primary cores of family values. We detract from the respect, acceptance and understanding so vital to our inter-connectedness to one another.
With a Mindfulness practice and lifestyle comes an ability to discover the power of “unconditional love”. Family is a haven of safety, the place where everyone can be themselves, the place where we are not judged, and the place where we are free to speak our own truths. Family can be the place where we can agree to disagree. Although we may have grown up with one another (whether sibling, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, in-laws, etc.) everyone’s life experience is different from yours, and so are their decisions and opinions. We need to humble ourselves by trying to comprehend their views.
When we can share a free exchange of our ideas and beliefs, we can learn from one another. We can grow intellectually and emotionally. Mindfulness teaches us to become less reactive not only to our own thoughts; but, to the thoughts of other as well. And when we exercise an awareness of our self-defeating reactions, we can pause and choose a healthier and more harmonious response. We can choose to be just an observer or a listener without the need to become defensive, to be right, to change minds, or lose our “cool”! We can just continue to love one another unconditionally...and with respect. This is how we resolves our differences. So, go ahead, talk politics with family and/or friends; but, always with respect and a light heartedness!
“In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony.” –Friedrich Nietzsche