Degrees of Separation, Degrees of Belonging

11/30/2022

Degrees of Separation, Degrees of Belonging

At this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when every day is a matter of survival, I don't think you can help but be involved.
Nina Simone, American musician, 1933-2003

Today, I want to step out of our usual ExchangeEveryDay mode and speak on a more personal note. The most recent episodes of public gun violence have hit close to home for members of our team. Their children or friends, while not physically harmed, were present and forever changed. We have sat together in silence, frustration and sadness wondering what is next and what we can do. These events—and working in an organization that values and supports heart-centered listening—sparked a deep conversation about the need for connection that emerges from chaos and loss, the need to connect because of our similarities and across our differences, and what active presence of mind (and heart) it takes to connect in such times.

Practicing heart-centered listening—being fully present to another’s content and tone, being receptive to the person speaking so they feel truly heard, and being open to deeper meanings—has allowed us as a team to venture into such difficult topics and build stronger relationships. It is often by focusing on listening, rather than talking, that we feel this deeper sense of belonging and connection that many of us long for.

Our hearts go out to everyone whose lives are touched by violence. May our daily efforts to really see and listen to the children and adults around us have a ripple effect in pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.

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