Once a good friend and Reiki Master showed me the Chinese symbol for human; two lines leaning into each other. The idea, she explained, is that neither is pulling or pushing. They’re simply leaning into one another, simultaneously supporting and being supported.
I like this idea, that we need each other, all others.
I mean it’s easy to see that we need those who agree with us and are on our side, but when I see this symbol it becomes clear to me that if we were all on the same side, we’d collapse. We need the tension. We need the balance. Sometimes we need our seemingly opposite just to help us further define what we don’t think or feel.
There is often more balance and truth in “the other” side than we initially imagine. When I first seek the common ground and then listen I’m more able to find it. Compassionate, conscious listening helps me to find where we meet and where we support each other. It allows me to be more fully human.