"Peace is a never ending process ...
It cannot ignore our differences or
overlook our common interests.
It requires us to work and live together."
-- Oscar Arias Sanchez
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| Finger puppets and a pop up toy 12-29-14 |
"So, let us not be blind to our differences --
but let us also direct attention to our common interests
and to the means by which those differences can be resolved."
-- John F. Kennedy,
Commencement Address at American University, 1963
"The secret of happiness is this:
let your interests be as wide as possible
and let your reactions to the things and persons
that interest you be as far as possible
friendly rather than hostile."
-- Bertrand Russell
It is indeed a rare and precious occurrence around here to find something -- be it an activity, an idea, a philosophy, a movie, or simply what to have for supper -- on which we can all agree.
We are a household of strong-willed, opinionated individuals who each tend to take a firm stance when it comes to what we like, believe, think, pursue, and choose to do with our time.
I'm pretty sure that just makes us a typical family.
But lately, we have all tripped upon a hallowed space of common ground.
In front of the television.
Don't judge. Hear me out.
I am familiar with and have personally decried the evils of too much television and the havoc it wreaks on family unity and communication.
Fuck that noise.
When a TV show causes all of us -- Dad, Mom, both sons and the girlfriend -- to lay aside our disagreements and come together with a common excitement and anticipation and interest and joy -- I'll take it.
It doesn't really matter what show it is. (Well, to us it totally matters. But to make my point, it doesn't.)
What matters is that we have found a small, kindred place where harmony reigns, where we can come together and share a little bit of time all enjoying the same thing, breathing the same air, reacting to the same turns of event, wondering at the same wicked plot twists, digging into the same bowl of popcorn.
We're usually pulling in a million different directions, which makes our brief little sojourns to the Island of Common Interests a welcome and peaceful change of scenery.
It's one good thing. And one good show!
