More than two weeks

Good Morning Dearhearts,

I’m writing this during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

There is a commercial for the Olympics from one of the large internet /television providers about our current differences in this country.  The commercial shows people in bars or gyms wearing clothing that signifies their opposing favorite sport teams. During the brief commercial we see the “adversaries” watching an Olympic event on a phone and asking the opponent if they want to watch with them.  The caption at the end of the commercial is “For two weeks we are all on the same team”.  End of commercial.

Wait a minute; does this mean I can have a two week period of agreements and commonality only to return to adversarial behavior when the Olympics end?

No thank you! Two weeks doesn’t begin to correct and heal all of the chaos and divisiveness currently happening in this country. If we can have agreement and brotherhood for two weeks why can it not extend to every week?  Don’t we all want the same peace in the world?  Isn’t happiness sought by everyone? Why do we have to limit getting along to only a two week period?

Nineteen monks just finished a 112 day walk for peace.  Not fanfare, no parades just a quiet walking of 2300 miles from Ft. Worth to Washington DC. They walked through the states we often characterize as “red” but peace is not a red or blue issue.  Peace is the goal of all beings. We would be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t desire to have a peaceful life.

Is agreeing to be on the same team only possible when there is an event that all are invested in watching together?  Can we overcome an “us” versus “them” mentality?

We are on team USA.  Conservative, liberal or democrat doesn’t matter we all have the same goal.  Can this not remain the mindset of this country when the Olympics are complete? We all desire to live in a world that is filled with the sportsmanship and compassion that we see the athletes display.  Can this not carry over into our politics?  Sportsmanship: someone else won the prize you wanted, but you congratulate them for their accomplishment.

I grew up in a time when civility was valued. 

We have all lost contests or awards that were meaningful; we did not get the blue ribbon or trophy.  We moved on. Even if we did not have the good manners to congratulate the winner, we did not threaten them. Is it possible to unearth that mindset?

Many things can heal in two weeks, the flu, a toothache, a minor surgery but to heal the current chasm in this country we will need more than two weeks. What we really need is the willingness to change because we have had enough anger, shouting and violence.  We must agree our desire for a world free from fear is more important than which team wins. 

We have all won and lost at one time, but if fear, violence and hatred take over- we have all lost.

Peace can be contagious in the best way. Let’s all catch that “bug”.

“Tolerance for pain may be high, but it is not without limit. Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there must be a better way”[1]

Let’s all find the better way.

In Love, Light & Peace

Janet Weissman

©2026  All Rights Reserved

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[1] A Course in Miracles Text Chap2 III 3:5-6