What does Reconciliation Mean?

I must admit this week the news and political discourse in Canada has been a fascinating view of the "war of words."

Polarizing and divisive words can be seen as not productive, but one must still listen to get to reconciliation right.

Whether it is at he personal or the larger levels, one must still listen.

That requires that one respects enough to hear the words, hear the emotion, and consider the meaning. It means when the other is struggling, asking for and reflecting back what your understanding back to them. The question "help me understand" is then the most powerful acknowledgement that what was said has value and that you are listening and willing to listen more.

This is the real "frontline" of healing and reconciliation.  Acknowledging that person or position or belief has some value, even if its ignorance, allows conversation to continue.

Then we go from there.  Reconciliation is also a commitment to hang in and stay strong to the process of healing the woundedness as well. It is a faith in healing as a process, and a knowing that the result will be worth it, not being certain of what that result will be exactly.  It takes then trust. The trust though builds as one continues to view the process of the lens that healing is possible and better than what is in the "right now."

It does not have to be absolute trust. It can be as simple as showing from a few actions in the right direction to build the beginnings of trust. And a commitment to go back to listening when apparent actions seem to erode or breaking trust.

Peace and blessings /|\

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