United We Stand; Divided We Fall

Posted on by Joyful2bee
American Flag
American Flag                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I’ve lived almost 72 years full of varied and interesting experiences with people of many different races, cultures, and religions, which I feel gives me a broad understanding of a large sampling of people’s attitudes, lives and feelings about life.

Through traveling I’ve met other people of different cultures  from Mexico, Canada, Germany and Switzerland. Traveling is a mind expanding experience.

I’ve traveled to Pittsburgh, towns all over North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, some in Texas, Missouri, Idaho, Colorado, Virginia, and a few other states. Not everyone believes, lives, eats, speaks or even thinks about life the same way as everyone else does.

A heart warming revelation I know is that all people need and want most of the same things: love, acceptance, companionship, a safe place to call home for themselves and their children and money enough to live and enjoy life.

My homes have been at the foothills of mountains in Greenville, SC;  the flat lands of New Orleans, LA; to rural Columbus, Mississippi; and finally the foothills and flat lands of North Carolina. So I have experienced lifestyles across the southern states. From rural towns to big cities, and met even more people of different cultures and belief systems.

As a retired nurse I cared for Asian, Native American, Korean, Hispanic, Latino, Indian, and African American people. Each with differing religions, languages, cultures, or sexual preferences. I am proud to say I cared for them without prejudice and with sincere compassion.

Through caring for patients in various stages of life, conditions of health, from surgical, chemotherapy, pediatric, obstetric, to Intensive and Coronary Care patients and finally heart patients on a telemetry unit; I learned about people and how they and their families cope with sickness, disability, death, and more financial stress than most of us could imagine.

My own financial experiences have ranged from poor to adequate income with some savings to Social Security and Retirement Funds. I know what it is like to have second hand clothes and live in an old house with a floor furnace to stand on when coming in from the cold. I lived in apartments and co-owned two houses. I also lived in the back room with my husband at his parents home for a year. I now live in a condominium. So I have lived in different situations and know what they are like.

Most of us have felt or will feel loss, sadness, pain, fear, anxiety, denial, helplessness, strength, love, inspiration, hope and the range of other emotions we all have experienced.

Since we are all human beings we have shared many common basic experiences of love, marriage, having the responsibilities and joys of having a family. We have all wanted more money, more possessions, better health, safety for our loved ones and ourselves.

To sum it all up, everyone on this planet has experienced most of the same feelings. The differences come in the ways our cultures have taught us to deal with each experience. For example some see hardship as a trial, or test or learning experience; some see hardships as punishment.

Truth about neighbors
Sign in front of a church in Pittsburgh. We are all neighbors.

“So what is this post all about?” We are all more alike than we are different. Right now during a period of so many divisive opinions in our country, please try to remember that we are all human beings with fears, joys, stress, families, friends, homes, and our own beliefs. We all have the right to believe as we choose; that is what our country was founded for. Please try to be tolerant and respectful of the opinions of others.

Please don’t pigeon hole everyone as a “Damn Liberal,” or “Damn Conservative,” or whatever. Our country is not going to come together until we can remember that we all have the right to believe and live as we choose. Many of our forefathers came here (although some were already here and some were sadly slaves) to escape religious or political persecution. Why do we want to persecute those who are different from ourselves?

Please stop to think for a minute. “Am I hating or persecuting someone due to their religious or political beliefs or am I accepting of those, who as Americans, exercise their right to choose their beliefs or lifestyle, whether I think they be wrong or right or in between? They do have the freedom to choose.”

This link is to the song: “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”  https://youtu.be/GYw1aNSfZls

I do think many people make their decisions based on what their family or friends choose. But making any decisions should be done with careful research. Not just listening to the news or reading the newspaper. We should each listen to both sides of an issue, with all of its pros and cons before we make a decision. We should make educated choices and learn to give and take when appropriate.

Many years ago some countries decided that people who were not educated or were women, or Black or poor should not be allowed to vote. Let’s be thankful we do not live in those times and hopefully use our political “voice” responsibly after much research, thinking and listening to both sides. One side is not always right and the other one always wrong. That’s why we are supposed to work together to make things the best they can be.

38 thoughts on “United We Stand; Divided We Fall”

  1. As you said we have to make educated choices after hearing both sides, but as you well know some people will hear one argument better than other. Point being, the D the Trump won. People should as you say respect the other half of the country that voted for him, and they don’t. There is the Russia connection the, Dark daberth connection, and whatever the other side comes up with, he did win fair and square the electoral vote that is a fact. I don’t think the Russians started pouring people into the U.S desguised ass Americans to vote for Trump. We can also go and talk about Hillary and her connections. So some of the other side should read this post and be as you said respectful.

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    1. Both sides have been rude, vulgar, mean spirited, and divisive. I am not pointing the finger at anyone. The point of this post is that instead of pointing the finger at each other, labeling each other, and calling each other names, we need to try to see each other as people of a country we love be and work together to be a better country. There is no need to point the finger at the “other side,” another depersonalizing title. I have friends on both sides, who have different national origins, different religions, and different political standings. I am sure that many of these friends will read this post. As I said in the post both “sides” have bad things against them and good things for them. No “side” is without fault.

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  3. In one of my deep and thoughtful conversations with myself just yesterday, I expressed similar thoughts as you. Is it that we are older, and have experienced much near and far that we can accept our fellow human beings as they are; which is much the same as we ourselves are where it deeply counts the most?

    We want to be loved, accepted, heard, touched, and above all treated like we matter. Irregardless of what state or country we travel, no matter what language we speak, this is true. Personally, I have found that expanding my mind, and above all listening, has opened me up to the wonderful treasures that are my fellow human beings. Like you, united I stand!

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    1. Wow, so good to hear from another loving soul! We are all God’s childten, I guess unfortunately we are a quarrelsome bunch. Love can be our uniting force, if not love then at least acceptance. Hugs!! And thank you for your uplifting comments!

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  5. You have a beautiful spirit Joyful! And I sooooo agree with you – travel opens our eyes to the fact that we have so much more in common than not! Travel tends to remove the fear of “the other” because you discover that, as you said so eloquently, for the most part, they want the same things that we want – love, acceptance, etc.

    But I also have to say that it’s a fine line between being tolerant of other’s opinions and enabling all the negative “-isms” that are out there. As a child of God, I find it very difficult to be tolerant of people who would seek to disenfranchise/trample on “the other” simply because they are different (color, religion, sex, nationality, sexual orientation, etc.) Help me out with this Joyful…

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    1. Hi, AGMA. Thank you for commenting! I totally agree. I believe we were meant to live together in peace. Everyone has different beliefs and ideologies. We need to learn to accept people as they are including their rights and beliefs and not be stubborn that “It’s my way or the highway!”
      In healthy family situations, people can talk with each other and learn from each other. There are too many who think they and only they are right. Love, compassion and understanding should be at the front of every encounter with other people. We were created in whatever way the Creative One did it, to be loved and to love each other. I sadly am not seeing that happening any time soon. But we just have to keep giving love ourselves to keep the ball rolling or it will diminish and we will all be sunk. Hope that helps you. I learned the song when I was a little girl, that shaped my attitude towards people different from myself. Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.
      We are all God’s children, no matter who we worship.

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  6. Joyful my friend…you are peaching to the choir. 🙂 I couldn’t agree with you more and with your statement, “I sadly am not seeing that happening any time soon.” Nail hit on the head!

    My question is, what do we do in the meantime while we wait for the ushering in of this Kingdom of Love? Do we sit idly by and let injustices prevail on those of a different faith or color or nationality? I think that happened with the Christians in Germany in the 30’s and 40’s and we all know the cataclysmic result of silent acceptance. Even Jesus got upset at the desecration of God’s House by the money changers and took action. Are we do do any less when we see our government at the highest levels seeking to desecrate God’s creation (the earth and God’s precious people)?

    What is happening in our country today actually has nothing to do with politics despite what the media would portray. The stakes are far bigger and the consequences far more dire than just political. It’s about basic human decency, and respect for the earth and other human beings no matter who they are, where they’re from and what they look like. Love and acceptance of the other. And the rule of law. No, I will not tolerate hate or injustice, and stand by and watch our democracy and the idea of “liberty and justice for all” be destroyed. I hope you aren’t too disappointed with me…

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    1. Ohh. I see now what you were saying. Sure peace and love are a wonderful goals. We do need to be tolerant of others who disagree with us. But when the weak, poor, and disenfranchised are being abused, that is not a time to stick flowers in guns. I am all for defending the bullied and helpless. Who else can stand up for our Earth but all of us.
      The problem is I have limited abilities right now and limited income. All I can do is write posts on my blog, set an example with those I meet. I am hesitant to sign petitions because I don’t know really who started them and if they are going where they are supposed to. I just don’t know what else I can do but what I am doing.
      Please give me any other suggestions that a retiree with back, neck and now foot problems can do.

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      1. You are doing exactly what you should be doing my friend! You are trying to influence the sphere around you for the good.

        I read a book a long time ago called Cloister Walk. It was written by a Protestant woman writer who spent like 6 months in a Cleveland (I think) cloistered convent. Kathleen Norris I think. Anyway, it totally changed the way I thought about the impact of those who devote themselves to a life of prayer. It’s kind of like the butterfly effect. Their fervent prayer DOES indeed have an impact and changes things. It’s quantum physics! Just like your blog makes the world a better place. Keep on writing Joyful and being joyful! Oh – and you can call/email your federal and state representatives often to make sure they know how you want them to vote! 😉

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  10. This is a wonderful thoughtful post! My husband and myself have always reminded out boys to never judge other because to remember we are no better than anyone else we are all made by the same God and we all are the same on the inside. I love seeing our boys as adults now and how they have grown into amazing. loving and kind hearted men. When I would drop them off at school when they were young I would tell them to do something to make someone smile. We are all humans and all we all want is love and kindness from others. Have a blessed week.

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  16. Mary Lou, I can not express the joy that your words caused me to feel. I really appreciate your comments and especially your sharing my post on your blog! You made my day! Thank you!

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