The Space Between Hearts
There’s a kind of peace that only arises when we take the time to understand one another, to pause before judging, to listen before reacting, to remember that everyone is doing their best with what they’ve been given. I have deep gratitude for those who seek to understand.
The older I get, the more I see that understanding isn’t an intellectual exercise; it’s an act of love. It’s the willingness to let go of needing to be right in order to be kind. It’s seeing the divine spark in someone whose story may be vastly different from my own.
When I choose to understand rather than assume, the world softens, and so do I.
Lessons from Life and Family
Over the years, I’ve learned that love isn’t always tidy. Families, friendships, and communities all stretch us in different ways. We don’t always agree, we don’t always see eye to eye, but if we can stay in the room together, heart open, something holy happens.
My sister Suzi taught me this kind of grace long ago, through her kindness, her patience, her ability to meet people where they are. She never tried to change others; she simply loved them into greater peace.
And now, watching my daughter Ali navigate her own world with humor and compassion, I see that same light continuing on. Understanding, it seems, is another form of inheritance.
The Courage to Listen
Listening deeply is a courageous act. It asks us to put our egos aside and open our hearts wide enough to hold another’s truth. Looking through their lens broadens our understanding, softens our reaction, and leads to peace.
There’s a line I love from the poet David Whyte: “Being understood is one of the most tender joys of being human.” We all crave that, to be known, to be seen, to be accepted without needing to explain ourselves.
When we offer that gift to others, we mirror the divine understanding that God offers to us every day. No conditions, no corrections, just love.
Tolerance as Transformation
The word tolerance can sound so small, as if it’s merely about putting up with one another. But to me, it means transformation. It’s what happens when we allow another’s experience to expand our own.
True tolerance isn’t passive; it’s the active practice of peace. It’s choosing compassion when it would be easier to judge. It’s meeting hostility with calm. It’s being the steady heart in a world that’s often reactive and afraid.
The longer I live, the more I realize that peace begins right here, in how I speak, how I listen, and how I respond.
Understanding as a Daily Practice
Understanding isn’t a single act, it’s a practice. It begins with curiosity and deepens through empathy. Every time I forgive, every time I listen, every time I remember that someone else’s path may have been harder than or different than mine, I feel the presence of Spirit at work.
And perhaps that’s what unity, and humanity, really mean: not sameness, but harmony. Different notes blending into one song.
A Prayer for the World
Today, I give thanks for understanding hearts, for every soul that listens instead of judging, that chooses love over fear, that sees the divine in difference.
“Be a light, not a judge. Be a model, not a critic.”