the politics of life

i've determined that i am not very politically motivated.  it's not that i don't care, it's just that the conversations rarely seem to be conversations, but statements of what someone wants another to take as a fact.  i believe that lots of ideas, beliefs, thoughts, possibilities allow good conclusions to be made.  and i believe that when people state their thoughts as facts then it shuts down the flow of ideas.  i have friends on facebook that are staunch democrats and staunch republicans.  they make snide comments....both sides do it.  they give little updates on the latest little tidbit or juicy bit of slander.  they post about anything that is "the real truth" that supports their candidate.  but, what i wish is that people could just talk openly and wonder and think aloud with other people's brains to help them....and then go vote the best that they know how.
feel the same way in life.  there was a woman at the show we did yesterday.  she is a dealer but was at the show as a buyer.  she would state what she would pay for an item.  then she would be miffed if the vendor declined.  she didn't ask.  she didn't inquire if she would get a discount if she purchased a certain amount of things.  she simply tried to bulldoze.  not one vendor appreciated the treatment.  all treated her with respectful firmness.  but she was simply incorrigible. 
church can often follow this political model of "sides".  you are more loved by god if you are somehow on the same side with the same moral beliefs and political beliefs and marital beliefs and child rearing beliefs as i am.  really, it's true.  and what is so sad that there is not one person on this earth that is loved any less by god.  that doesn't mean that i believe that all things spoken of are truth.  it means that i believe that speaking of all of the different things, ideas, beliefs....gives people time to work things out.  god has sent prophets and written letters and lived in his people for a long long time.  i don't think that any of his methods involved saying that a person who differs from another person is less loved.  there does come a time of decision making.  perhaps more people would be willing to choose him if they hadn't been bullied, backed into a corner, ostracized when different.  perhaps....
kids are born negotiators.  i'll compliment you, spend time with you, do something i know that you will think is wonderful if you give me......they are lobbying.  paying for a parent to vote their way.  i'm not so sure that it is healthy.  i like better when they come to me.  state what they want.  hear me say why i think it is or isn't a good idea...in these cases, it often isn't. ;)  and then...give me time to think if i want to let them go for it anyway.  because my children are not babies.  they need to fall a little bit.  but we need to communicate about things openly.  it's hard.  easier to play the political game.  my daughter knows the game well and so teases me with it now.  prefaces something she wants with a standard, " have i told you today how shiny your hair is?"  and we both laugh.  it's a conversation opener. 
i'm not so good at politics.  but i am good at seeing people.  and at respecting them.  even when they are different than i.  but my personality sometimes gets so weary of the politics of life.  i love and crave encouragement.  openness.  words.  hugs.  affirmation.  truth.  yes, they can go together.  thoughtfulness.  but somehow it seems like people have taken to the political agenda of smearing and tearing down.  of believing whatever they hear.  of listening to sound bytes rather than hearing the depths of someone's pain.  and of all things in this world, i think that it is the thing that makes me most weary.  because i lived with it for so very long.  he was smarter than i.  more politically educated.  but if he had ever taken the time....i have something different to offer.  peace.  gentleness.  truth.  reflection.  grace.  kindness.  wondering.  hoping.  lots of hoping. 
be blessed.