I am up, which is totally not normal for me, but I was incredibly hot and had a million ideas running around in my head. I figured if I could do my to do list for tomorrow, which is impossibly long, and get some of the creative things out of my head I would be able to get back to sleep.
I hope this is not what peri-menopause is, because folks I love my sleep.
The thing I really keep tossing around in my head is a situation with our executive board for our local Time Bank. (If you don't know about Time Banks take a moment to check them out, see if you have one in your area and learn about the movement.) We have a member of the Time Bank who is doing a lecture on "What is a Republic" in the community. This gentleman is a little kooky. He was on city council and created havoc because he refused to vote on any issue because of some ideological concept. Crazy stuff that would have made excellent reality TV. (Have I mentioned I live in a very weird town?)
Anyway, he wanted the Time Bank to promote his lecture. This one request spawned a huge reaction from every member of the executive committee. The idea of promoting an agenda, getting involved in a political issue, etc.
But that isn't what has me up at night: it is the idea that we think everyone thinks like we do.
Time Banking is kind of a hippie idea - probably socialist in some peoples view - or not. But to assume that everyone that is involved in the group is left leaning is wrong. At our Unitarian Fellowship I had assumed that very thing to be dismayed that there were Republicans in the house. Really, I didn't think that was possible.
We can't assume anything about a person; not by the way they dress, talk, look, social class, job - not for any reason.
So our JOB as human beings is to get to know them. To become familiar with them. And maybe to even understand them. No assumptions, taking the time to learn about one another. No rash generalizations, getting to know each other as individuals.
As for the Time Bank, I asked that we take this "discussion" out of email and we talk about it in person. Cooler heads will prevail in person where typed messages can be misread and misunderstood.
Photo Credit: AndyWoo
