I took a long walk yesterday, and instead of listening to music as I usually do, I chose quiet, letting my thoughts wander. The word resonance flashed across my mind, and with each step, I thought about the power of resonance in our lives, how it shapes everything we do. What is the magic that makes something resonate within us?
I thought about the things that resonate in me; my love for Dan, our animals, our home, performing and teaching, writing, photography. Everything that we are drawn to impacts our lives- colors that we are attracted to, music, art, and literature that speak to us. It pervades our lives- religion and spirituality, politics…with these being so influential that many people become polarized in their beliefs, leading to anger and divisiveness.
What causes someone to be “Right” or “Left” or Baptist or Catholic or whatever? I know that some of it stems from the influence of the nurture concept, what we are exposed to by our parents in our formative years, but some of us break away, moving toward the beliefs that resonate more deeply within us. I grew up in the Southern Baptist faith, but moved in a different direction many years ago, as it never really felt like me. I resonate with the idea that there are many paths to God- we have to find the one that speaks to us and helps us to be better human beings. The same with politics- we are hopefully all wanting what is best for our country and our world, and there are many different ideas of how to get there. My wish on both fronts is that we could see past the differences and find the heart that is behind the belief…that is the only way to reach across the aisle and come up with real solutions to the issues facing us. I know that is impossible for some, but that won’t stop me from being an optimist. Rigidity is the death knell for open minds and hearts.
So many things pull us with their resonance, the pull that seems to magnetically draw us to a profession, a person, a particular part of the country or neighborhood, a certain style…a tangled web of desire and need mixed with the call of our DNA. As I think about what I am attracted to in my life, I hope that the ultimate resonance will always be love, and that I will let go and allow others to find their own way without judgement.
The View from Here 