Author: clfuu

“When I am frightened, will you reassure me?
When I’m uncertain, will you hold my hand?
Will you be strong for me?” -Shelley Jackson Denham

When has your compassion touched someone else in a time of fear?

Conflict can be healthy if engaged honestly, directly, and compassionately. Healthy conflict involves patience, humility, and a concern for the other.

How do you engage in healthy conflict behaviors?

“The place to begin is at home—that is, with ourselves. Notice what is life-denying and resist it—just say ‘no’ for your sake and your children’s sake. Live with the moral authority that comes from compassion and non-violence. Form communities of people who will sustain you in living as you wish to live….” -Marilyn Sewell

Whose teachings inspire you to non-violence?

Our religious pluralism asks us to let go of certainty in how we experience the sacred, and instead embrace the understanding that many different ways of experiencing it are equally valid. Sometimes, this is a challenge.

How have you been challenged by practicing pluralism?

My daughter, when she is frustrated, often asks me to have “a conversation.” By this, she means that I should listen to her and agree with everything she says. Slowly, she is learning that real conversation is two ways. We both speak. We both listen. We both are challenged to experience the other fully. -Rev. Michael Tino (CLF)

Have a difficult conversation today.