Last year, I made a bold and difficult decision to eradicate the word “enemy” from my life. I reached this decision because I saw no value in the word beyond its tendency to perpetuate fear and negativity, both of which have no place in my heart. It was not an easy choice. Wherever I turned, I encountered incendiary reasons to succumb to the toxicity of the word “enemy.”
There are people whose divisive purpose is to keep us from the unity we should all strive for, but I refuse to allow that influence to affect me any longer. Governments, in particular, rank among the most effective manipulators, and I am grateful to George Orwell’s 1984 for opening my eyes to this reality.
Of course, there will always be individuals with whom I disagree or even dislike. Still, I no longer regard groups of people as enemies because of nationality, skin colour, religion, or other such distinctions. After adopting this mindset, I found love and appreciation from people I least expected. I am now proud to say that I feel closer than ever to fulfilling Christ’s teaching to love thy enemy.
As far as I am concerned, our greatest enemy is ourselves. Peace comes only when we conquer our fears and cultivate love and respect for ourselves and for our fellow human beings. Ignore the noise created by politicians and ignorant preachers. Look beyond it, listen to your inner voice, and you will find your peace.
