We need to be cooperative. We don’t have to be against everything. We seem to share and shout more what we are against than what we’re for. We circle up with the people we agree with, cheer each other one, then stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our teamies as as we prepare to throw words, threats, and blame on the people we’ve pitted ourselves against.

When our focus becomes too much about what we are against, it begins to define who we are and obscure what we are for. Instead we can put down the destructive words and walk half-court. We don’t have to sacrifice our beliefs to meet halfway to find an foot of common ground that gives a firm foundation for moving forward. We can be cooperative, consistent, and  committed. We can be humbly willing to change. If we’re not, we giving the other side of the argument power over our response. We stay on the side of rebelling against someone instead of knowing where we stand and why.

We might not change anyone else when we fight, but we’ll be changed when we take a deep breath to honestly reflect, question, listen, and explore.