In July 2023, I wrote a Nothing New titled Both/And where I wrote about the practice of creating space for two (or more!) contradicting points of view; about how to handle the tension of two competing ideas that can both be true.
That is the definition of paradox.
It goes back to shedding the idea of either/or, good/bad, right/wrong, binary thinking, and understanding that there is a full spectrum of degrees and all can be true.
Paradox is embracing the overlap area of the Venn diagram.
Frustrating? Yes! Inspiring? Yes!
See?... A paradox! 😉
The older I get, the more I grow, the more I see how vital it is to embrace paradoxes. This is nothing new! I can still hear stories my grandma would share with me and see how she was teaching me about paradoxes from her wisdom.
When we are young, we need order to make sense of the world simply and begin to explore our place in it.
As we grow into young adulthood, we begin to see the larger world, and rational complexity and critical thinking kick in. We begin to see that some of the things that bring order can also cause pain. We increasingly understand that extreme ways of thinking and being don’t serve humanity well. We grow to understand that some rules need to be shed to expand our lives.
In my middle age years, I’ve learned more about people from different walks of life, in my local community, the US, and around the world. I’ve discovered that many of our traditions are rooted in the same ideals, we just have different ways to express them. Knowing more about differences has made me more inclusive in my thinking and being.
How’s that for a paradox?!
In learning to understand our differences, I’ve grown more open and loving to all! I find myself judging less and asking more questions to understand people.
And it’s hard! There are a lot of loud voices in the extremes. AND there are other voices all around that speak from a place of love if you take time, seek them out, and listen.
This ampersand symbol hangs in my office as a visual reminder to me of the many shades between two binary ideas.
What can you do to embrace paradox today?
Comments