There’s this quote used in NYPD training that goes something like a hero walks the tightrope between light and darkness, order and chaos, sacred and profane, good and evil.  We love our hero quotes but this one really stood out because of it requiring more contemplation and thought.  On the surface, this sounds counterintuitive as one would imagine that a hero would walk strictly in the light, maintain order, and represent what is good.  While I think part of this is about understanding the other side to combat or address it more effectively, this is more about non-duality or being able to hold competing ideas, values, or perspectives in one’s being simultaneously.

Richard Rohr writes that one must be able to hold the tension in many things in life.  Intuitively this has often made sense to me.  That’s why it’s hard for me to fully embrace the Republican or Democrat side.   They are both wrong and right.  They both play games and whatever they accuse the other side of doing, they themselves do.  

I’ve written about this previously but I think people should learn to properly swear and pray.  Think about it.  It is power.  Even Jesus said you cannot be lukewarm.  It makes you nothing.  It makes you useless.  It makes you a waste of space.

It’s about walking that line.  If not, you’ll end up with the costume jewelry rather than the real thing.  The fog rather than the ocean.  The ritual rather than the faith.  The false story rather than the legend.