On Earth Peace~pt. 1

They are two women, relatives, in conflict over the living arrangements of small children. They meet today in mediation to work this out. This will be the first time in four years that I'll be mediating, and much rides on the outcome. Luckily, a trusted and skilled mediator-colleague will sit at my side. The good thing about mediation is that once you learn it, you use the skills in real life, remembering to listen well here, encourage creativity there, and help people articulate their needs. To pull all these skills back together in the mediation process is like riding a bike a friend assures me.

Mediation is like surgery-you open the wound of the conflict and ease the emotions that fuel it, which allow the parties in dispute to think clearly about their interests and their willingness to listen to the interests of the other person. You look for common ground between the parties so that they can understand each other and speak to the other's humanity. You're like a tool in this process, empowering people to come up with their own good solutions. It takes skill and in my view, a willingness to be open to grace. Many is the time I've uttered a silent plea for help heavenward, only to have some new avenue open up. You learn to measure success differently in mediation; they don't all have happy endings. But if two people get together, are able to listen to each other, and talk to each other human to human, without yelling, screaming and saying devastating things to each other, something precious has been gained. Reader, if you can spare a prayer for these women and this process today, I'd be grateful.