According to Merriam-Webster~

Reconcile 1a: to restore to friendship or harmony

                   b: settle; resolve

Reconciliation is difficult.  People who fully understand this concept are not found in great numbers.  But it is important to recognize its necessity in our daily lives. Unreconciled differences in families are some of the worst kinds of heartache.  Resolution of our differences is essential to a harmonious life. And the conflicts we do not reconcile will spill into the rest of society. That’s why, I believe, that we have war.  It begins in broken relationships

I guess it is just part of being human.  But, so too, is the desire to truly connect with other human beings. Just as love can be nurtured and grown, so can hatred and resentment.  It is imperative to learn forgiveness and model it. Otherwise, how do we teach reconciliation to our children, if we do not know how to forgive one another?

All over the world, the news is dominated by negative stories.  Because of this, we do not get the hopeful, encouraging messages we sorely need in order to think positively.  This contributes to the general malaise that permeates our environment. Getting past all of these cynical influences is overwhelming and exhausting, even when one tries to overcome them. But, if we do not try, things will never improve enough to reverse the direction of the destructive tide that threatens to destroy us.

People do not have to agree all the time.  What we really need to learn, is how to agree to disagree and look for common ground.  Common ground leads to compromise. In turn, compromise encourages mutual respect. If we could accomplish that, there would be less need of reconciliation in the first place.  That should be a goal we all can strive to do. Unfortunately, once the rift has been firmly established, some semblance of reconciliation must happen before we begin to work together.

On a positive note, change can begin in an instant, if people want to try.  Open minds and hearts can only do good, not harm. It starts in each one of us.  If enough people come forward, ready to cooperate and search for common ground, the work of peacemaking will have begun.