Patience vs Violence

December 4, 2015 — 3 Comments

Doc, Me, Wyatt

I recently gave thought to the question “What is the opposite of gratitude?” I decided it is entitlement.  This exercise works well for all kinds of grand concepts and world events. Our violent world is punctuated with opinions and some bravery, but the violence itself looks more powerful all the time.  I am a believer in Chinese medicine and the power of understanding opposite forces.  I go to acupuncture every week for my health to balance the chi in my body.  There are macro and microcosms of chi as well, like the environment, social order, etc.  Energy balances energy and life continuously flows.  Balance depends on constant movement and exchange, like inhale and exhale.

With the bigger picture in mind I wonder what is the opposite energy to contradict and balance violence. I don’t own weapons or use them.  My life is easy, comfortable, and fun.  I don’t think about encountering violence even though there is plenty of it right in my neighborhood as well as across the globe.  I agree with the sentiment of the Parisians who believe that fear to go out and live it up is what terrorists want to see in their victims.  Caving in to fear may be the worst reaction, but what is the best one?  I live in Tucson where we were shaken by mass shooting early in the game. Our city is plenty violent all the time with the full time smuggling at work here.  Most people go about our business without any thought of the crime and violence we know happens.  I have started to wonder if this is unrealistic or healthy.

As long as I stay aware of the shadow of violence I think it is healthy to be happy and free of fear. The only thing that has worked in my life as a cure for big and little violence is patience. Patience must be the opposite of violence.  Patience develops into empathy if practiced for a long enough time.  When you restrain your emotions long enough to see the bigger overview you always find ignorance was the cause of all problems.  Ignorance continues to cause trouble, but if I sincerely practice patience I can stop myself from adding my own portion of violence to the boiling pot of trouble.  What do you think, gentle reader?  Have you found any new truths by observing all the horror lately?