This morning, as our nation processes profound loss, both the passing of a very influential man of faith, and another senseless act of violence in our schools, I find myself reflecting on what it means to be human in times like these.

Yesterday’s news cycle revealed something telling: our collective cry that “something must be done.” Yet beneath this shared anguration lies a deeper truth we must confront. The solutions we seek cannot be outsourced to political figures or institutions that have repeatedly demonstrated their limitations. The change we desperately need begins in the spaces between us. In our capacity to see past ideological barriers and remember our fundamental interconnectedness.

We’ve allowed ourselves to become trapped in performative outrage cycles that drain our energy while solving nothing. Meanwhile, the real work of healing, the patient, unglamorous task of rebuilding trust and dialogue, remains undone.

This isn’t about political compromise; it’s about recognizing that our survival as a cohesive society depends on our ability to hold space for difficult conversations without demonizing those who disagree with us.

The ripple effects of our dysfunction extend far beyond our borders. When the world’s most influential democracy can’t model constructive discourse, it creates instability that touches every corner of the globe. This is our moment to choose: Do we continue feeding the machinery of division, or do we have the courage to step back from the brink?

The path forward isn’t found in saviors or systems, but in the daily choice to extend grace, seek understanding, and remember that the person across from us, regardless of their politics, shares our fundamental humanity.

That’s where real change begins. That’s where hope lives.

Good morning Nostr 🫂