According to Dictionary.com to harmonize means to bring into harmony, accord, or agreement: to harmonize one’s views with the new situation. On the other hand, to tolerate means to allow the existence, presence, practice or act of without prohibition or hindrance; to permit. It also means to endure without repugnance; or to put up with. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather have someone want to harmonize with me rather than to tolerate me.

When we harmonize, I believe we are accessing something bigger than ourselves be it a higher power or our higher self, we are stepping out of our egos and into a bigger realm of thinking and being. We are not allowing ourselves to be at the mercy of our emotions and reactions. When we tolerate, there’s a whole lot of opportunity for the ifs and buts to enter into the equation. There is also a line drawn in the sand that we are not willing to move across.

I was thinking today of how many people I know and love who have very different religious and political view points from me (and from each other). I understand today more than I ever have why I have always felt like a very round peg trying to fit into a very square hole. Most of my life my view points have been very divergent from the groups I have been associated with whether it be family or school. For a long time I really thought that there must be something wrong with me because I just wanted everyone to get along. I just wanted there to be a way that we could live side-by-side with our different view points in peace. I felt very tolerated by most. But what I really wanted was to be in harmony.

If you’ve ever heard great harmony (thank you Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney) then you know that there can be two or more very different expressions that can sound beautiful when they harmonize together. Why, even my cats Bunny and K.C. harmonize when they greet me in the morning with their alto and soprano kitty voices. The same thing is possible when we interact with each other about topics that are very sacred and important to our beliefs such as religion or politics to name a few.

In that key, it is possible for us to harmonize our beliefs and make the world a better place. We need the different view points to keep the whole of us strong. However, harmony is not going to happen if we pit against each other because of our various view points and stay stuck in our beliefs. And there sure isn’t any welcoming of opinions when the words and language we use to describe opposing views are caustic and sarcastic. Trust me, I can go there but why? Is it worth hurting or pissing off someone I care about for a momentary satisfaction? (okay, well, sometimes I’ll give you that…).

I realize there is a sophistication to being able to have your own opinions about matters and to discern what to share with others and what to keep to your self. But why not stretch? Why not learn how to listen better so that you can be heard? If we don’t try then who will?

Take a stance to not go into the trance! Decide instead to learn how to harmonize your voice with millions of others—keeping your own special tones–but weaving them in with the many.

Me, me, me,meeeeeeee, mo, mo, mo, mooooooooo……..All together now……