Gill writes:
As some of you will know, I work for a small charity called Place for Hope which “accompanies and equips people and faith communities so that all might reach their potential to be peacemakers who navigate conflict well.”
We begin all of our training, mediation and reconciliation work by agreeing on ways that we will all work together. One of those ways that we offer into the space is that we will ‘seek to understand, rather than agree.’
I love this phrase because, for me, it captures the essence that we are all created individually, and it’s underpinned by accepting one another for who we are. We might be made up of DNA that carry traits of our family and forebears, but we are still our own unique mish-mash of genes that go toward making us ‘us’. It takes us a long time, possibly our lifetimes, to truly understand our real selves, and much of that apprehension is due to everyday interactions with others that reveal another jigsaw piece in the puzzle of our selves.
Cyndi Lauper was amongst a number of influential female artists in the 1980’s and looking back, I consider myself privileged to have been shaped by such inspirational women. Annie Lennox, Debbie Harry, Madonna, Alison Moyet, Kirsty MacColl to name but a few. These were women who asserted their own individuality and gave a voice to young women of the time who didn’t want to fit into societal expectations.
Cyndi’s gently galvanising lyrics brought hopefulness:
You with the sad eyes
Don’t be discouraged
Oh I realize
It’s hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small
I’ve been reminded of this song all week whilst I’ve been watching one of the latest Netflix offerings – a series called ‘Nobody Wants This’. Starring Adam Brody (The O.C.’s Seth) as a rabbi and Kristen Bell (The Good Place) as an agnostic relationships podcaster, it navigates the ups and downs of them falling in love with each other – despite the obvious, and not so obvious, complications of such a relationship.
The story steers through the values and expectations of their families and communities, and doesn’t flinch from the impact that having a faith can have on a relationship. It really is a beautiful exploration full of humour and pathos.
And most of all, just like this song, the underpinning message is about acceptance – of who we are and of those whom we love. As the main protaganists grow in their knowledge and love of each other, their understanding of themselves (and what is helping and hindering their relationship) deepens too, resulting in an ending that is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming.
But I see your true colours
Shining through
I see your true colours
And that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
Your true colours
True colours are beautiful
Like a rainbow
This leaves me to ponder who really sees me. Who sees my true colours and loves them? Who really sees your true colours and helps you to show them?
That’s why they love you.
Find out more about Cyndi Lauper at https://cyndilauper.com/
The Friday Fix 