Avoidance

This year's Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope everyone had a good one. Now, according to form, many folks are out shopping, getting a head start on Christmas gift-buying. With all that, it is a time for coming together. Not quite, however, based on recent published surveys. Surveys showed that more half American families made a decision not to discuss this year's presidential election at the dinner table. Feelings about it remain raw, so apparently the belief is the mere mention of Trump or Clinton would be enough to turn a pleasant holiday gathering into one of the scenes from "Game of Thrones."

How unfortunate. How sad for families trapped this way and, on a broader scale, for all of us. Think about it. Families are content to interact under a cloud of self imposed censorship because they do not agree about a particular topic. Further, apparently they are not certain how they will react if someone across the table expresses an opinion with which they disagree. Rather than see such conversation as an opportunity to seek greater understanding or even find common ground, they chose to avoid the topic altogether. It is ok to talk about Aunt Susie's new boy friend or cousin Fred's cancer-scare, but politics and the future of the country are forbidden topics.

I understand some topics are much easier to discuss. I understand there are some topics which trigger more emotions than others. People disagree and sometimes it ain't pretty. But I also understand that ignoring or avoiding elephants in the room is a lot more unhealthy. If we as a people are going to get to a better place, then talking about touchy topics is one of the hurdles we need to jump. It is a matter of deciding to communicate with openness and mutual respect. At times that is not easy to do. I understand that, too. But in no way are self-imposed divides a good thing. Christmas dinner is not that far away. Perhaps we can do better then.