Impregnable – the power of stories.

Narratives, once they take root, become strongholds within our minds. It matters little whether the foundation of that story is truth or falsehood. We align our perceptions and experiences with the story, and it colors our entire reality.

If I tell myself you are my enemy, nothing you say or do will ever register as true or genuine. Conversely, if I believe we are one in love, even your flaws will be seen through a compassionate lens.

Better to embrace a narrative of love and truth than a harmful story weaving distrust and falsehood. But how do we break free from the grip of a harmful story? We cannot fight it on its own terms.

As the saying goes, ‘There are no winners or losers in a culture war because both sides are simultaneously right and wrong at the same time.’ These entrenched narratives often contain fragments of truth, but become distorted by fear and defensiveness. Both sides lose sight of the bigger picture, the potential for understanding and even shared humanity.

Love – patient, kind, and free from judgment – is our most potent weapon in disarming any negative narrative. When facing such a stronghold, retreat ‘within’ to that place of compassion, understanding, and connection with the Divine. It is in aligning with those higher truths that the lower stories lose their grip.

The Divine, the source of all Love, transcends the limitations of human narratives. It is not a partisan figure to be claimed by one side or another. By connecting with this universal force of Love, we begin to see the oneness that underlies all creation, dismantling the illusion of separation that fuels these cultural wars.

As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and even give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

True connection with the Divine is not about rigid beliefs or following a specific set of rules. It is about cultivating the qualities of love, compassion, and understanding that the Divine embodies. When we approach the world from this place of unity, the divisive power of narratives loses its hold.

Jesus reminds us, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…” (Matthew 5:44)