Live & Let Live?

Live And Let Live: The Way It Should Be

As I sit on my deck, thunderstorms in the forecast, I’m reminded of a different type of storm threatening our nation.

If you boil it down to the most simplistic form, it’s arrogance that keeps us from coming together, listening to each other and letting people “Live and Let Live.”

I’m talking to a guy online who was upset over a show I did, imagine that, and wants to debate me over the issue. He’s being kind, which I appreciate, but he seems to want to convince me that I, and those who think like me, are wrong, not have a conversation.

For years people like you and me, have watched culture degrade (our feeling) and didn’t say a whole lot for fear we’d lose friends and make enemies.

We are taught to get along and not stir the pot but when the pot starts to feel like a cesspool, you make choices and choices have consequences.

What’s awesome is people are learning to trust their instincts again and if something smells bad it probably is bad and we’ll speak up.

We’ve found alternate sources of information and turned from legacy media’s “spin cycle” for something that has room for conversation not a one-sided debate.

Kathy and I are finding a lot of people (pioneers) out here with similar ideas.

I don’t know what their politics are, no one cares.

But they left something to find a new way of life.

But in all honestly this change is tough. I know it sounds romantic and adventurous and it is but adventures’ close companions are loneliness and discomfort and not a lot of people want to make the trade, unless pushed to do so.

The pace of life is slower in Montana than it was in urban Oregon. It takes some getting used to. We don’t know a lot of people and things still aren’t familiar and familiar is a good feeling to have once and-a-while. When you don’t have it you feel out of place. So, instead of sitting back you push forward to find your place.

Each day we meet other pioneers who packed up and left what they knew for the unknown.

A nurse practitioner from Tennessee who offered to let us borrow his mountain bikes and a group of transplants at dinner last night who all landed in a tiny place called “York” and have turned the bar into a community center/party house. Oh, we are now on the list of invited guests for their next York Bar party.

Pioneers do not care about your politics but they do care about freedom and they want to hear your story.

We are looking for wide open spaces, not just physical wide space but space for a wide variety of opinion and room to disagree.

At some point life comes down to Live and Let Live. You do you and I’ll do me. We don’t have to agree but we should be able to still compromise and do what’s collectively good for our communities, states and nation.

I hear people say “I want to get back to how it was when people got along better.” What I wonder is whether we got along or did we just let things slide. Perhaps the slide has been too much and this is all part of a plan to bring common sense back to the process and give all voices an opportunity to sing in the choir without fear of retribution.

Live and Let Live…..has such a nice ring doesn’t it?