Look To The Stars — By John Reed

Look To The Stars
This past week, our earthbound eyes were treated to a heavenly sight. Venus and Jupiter were visible in the western sky after sunset, drawing ever closer together. By Sunday they were barely a finger’s width apart in the early evening twilight. No amount of pulpit pounding or bible thumping can be more convincing of a higher presence than watching heavenly bodies dance with each other.
Paraphrasing Job, “where were you when the morning stars sang together?”
Humanity, in our hubris and arrogance, pass judgement upon one another, when in reality we have no right to do so. Regardless of our religious, cultural, or political beliefs, we are by definition imperfect. Democrats denigrate Republicans, the Right criminalizes the Left…and they’re each in error in different ways.
I started this column some years back to find some common ground, to offer a starting point for courteous debate on issues of mutual interest. There’s so much work to do, and I’m convinced if folks would admit that they just possibly, might not be 100% right in their opinions, we might make some progress.
Yeah right. I can’t even get my hamburger order right most of the time.
Short of writing pointless letters to the editor, there’s not much most of us can do to affect the turmoil in Washington, Atlanta, or even here at home. Except possibly look past what people say and see what they accomplish. Certainly politicians would benefit from that approach.
But most of us are too convinced of our own correctness to see past the talking heads at CNN, Fox, or others. A little perspective might help: look to the sky. Consider our true small place in the universe, and then understand we do better when we work together.