When you encounter a totally different reality

John and I arrived early for an appointment (for those of you that know my husband, you know that this is not infrequent! The story of arriving three hours early for a flight to Phoenix from Midway still gets repeated and laughed about when the 'kids' get together). We found a seat and the waiting room began to fill.

We had chosen seats away from the TV where NBC's Today Show was playing, so we couldn't see what was on the screen.

Another couple sat before the TV and provided commentary and as the time progressed provided a glimpse into a total different 'reality'.

"Oh I can't even stand to look at him. He's so evil"

"What is wrong with his hair?"

"This administration will do down in history as the worst ever."

"The federal government is taking over the states. There's going to be a civil war, just you wait."

"They just let all those illegal aliens in and then they're going to give them weapons to take over."

And on it went. The first two comments, I thought for sure were about the former President and the next about his administration. But they were instead about the current President and his administration. Two totally different realities. The comments got more vitriolic and far from the reality I see and hear and read about. They were upset that the state of Texas went to all the effort of putting up razor wire to keep those 'illegal aliens' out of 'our country' only to have the federal government cut it down. And they were convinced that all those aliens were going to get weapons to help the feds fight in the civil war.

It was alarming to hear and it took all my self-control not to engage in a conversation. But snippets have remained with me and continue to alarm me. This couple lives here in West Michigan but it may as well be another country. I know that this dichotomy exists, I've experienced some of it within my family, but I didn't realize just how divided we have become. And I don't know how to close the precipice that exists.

Since this is a blog about living positively, however, I cannot end on that dire note. Instead, I will put this thought out there. When we encounter situations like this, respond if possible, but respond with an open heart. The worst thing to do is to go on the attack, which might feel like the only thing to do in the moment. I have to remind myself that there is a totally different diet of information being fed and consumed out there - it's what some people know as 'reality'. 

And I pray that the divide can be healed. Because we know that Jesus is represented by a dove and that a dove is a symbol for peace.