It is unusual for me to catch the news on TV because I get my news from the Web most of the time. However I did hear a very interesting comment made by a person being interviewed about the impacted by the floods in Alabama. This guy was a University of Alabama graduate who was surprised to see all these people in University of Auburn (also in Alabama) sweatshirts helping him out. He said, “I am supposed to hate people from Auburn.” This hate I guess comes from the sports competition these two universities? He was surprised because Auburn was an enemy and they are helping us out. He almost didn’t know what to think. This moment of questioning the reality of his thoughts can be a powerful one and if explored more deeply can change a person’s experience of life forever.
How could sports competition create enemies? Yet it does. How come members of different religions hate each other just because they have different beliefs? This hate is the cause of most wars. How come there is such intense nationalism where people have enemies just because they live in a different geographic location? Yes this too has caused many wars. Aren’t these all just faulty thinking?
This hate and idea of enemies are simply thoughts that are based on the ego-mind and not in reality. This U of Alabama supporter may have to been forced to change his thoughts about the people of Auburn U. New and more expansive thinking makes us better human beings.
What if much of our thinking in many areas of our life is as faulty as the idea of sports competition creates enemies. Sports are games and they are for play and entertainment aren’t they? What if there are no enemies except in our mind?
Yes there are people in the world who are dangerous and disturbed. They need to be contained and helped but they are not our enemy. They are simply ill and in need of compassionate understanding and treatment.
Hate is a learned point of view too often passed from generation to generation. Breaking this narrow thinking takes stepping back and seeing the world from a more accurate perspective like we all share this planet together. Today in a chaotic world we need to figure out how to cooperate instead of compete.
Try this: next time we think the driver in front of us is our enemy, please take the time to rise above those silly thoughts and be open to a wider and more conscious way of viewing the world.