I remember wise people in my life who suggested that I use the time at stoplights to pray, call to mind people who have impacted my life, moments of gratitude, or sitting in silence without music or news.
These suggestions came to mind recently in Akureyri, Iceland. The town decided that the red light on all stoplights should be a Red Heart!
Stop... to love? Stop... to care? Stop... to be kind?
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| When do you stop to love? (Photo: Akureyri, Iceland - Heart Stoplights - Larry Gardepie, 2025) |
Maybe the Turning Point our world needs right now is to Stop... and Make a Choice that draws us together rather than separating us even further.
Another memory from my Catholic elementary school: when tensions rose on the playground and classmates would shout "I hate you" at one another, the Religious Sister would remind us of Jesus' command... we are called to love one another!
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| What signals do you give others? (Photo: Paul Revere statue pointing at Old North Church window where lanterns were placed, Boston - Larry Gardepie, 2025) |
I wonder what signals we are giving each other: One, if we Hate; Two, if we Love?
- Are we still in the schoolyard yelling at each other?
- Do our misunderstandings say, "I hate you"?
- How do we follow the Golden Rule when we aren't happy?
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| Are you willing to reach across the divide? (Photo: Hands Across the Divide, Derry-Londonderry, Northern Ireland - Larry Gardepie, 2025) |
It takes each one of us to Notice, Choose Non-violence, and Decide how we want to move forward. As Sister would say, "You don't have to like everyone... but you are called to love everyone."
Like the citizens of Akureyri, can we change how we see the Red (or Blue or Purple) in others and replace it with a heart that reaches across the divide that separates?
What will you choose?
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| Larry Gardepie
Dialogue San Diego Consulting
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