One Way

Polarized people worship at the altar of “OneWayness”…and we’re getting better at it all the time.

Is there only One Way to do religion, or politics, or bake an apple pie, or make a salad? If you are a sports fan and listen to the stunning variety of National Anthems sung before the first pitch, you know that one song can be sung many ways…unfortunately. For some of us One Way means my way, and, of course, that’s the right way. But that inflexible One Way usually leads to frustration and defensive fear. The One Way sign on my street is meant to ease congestion, provide safety and and keep us all moving, but it’s just one approach…there are other routing systems that might work as well. Traffic circles, or Roundabouts, accomplish the same goals and they have multiple entry and exit points. They are more like a dialogue than a stern pronouncement.

I remember hearing as a child an old saying that was meant to make the point of diversity and variety: “There’s more than one way to skin a cat!” I understand the point, but I wonder if we don’t often pay a lot more attention to the skinning than to the cat.