A House Divided

I have had many nights recently where I suddenly awaken from a deep sleep. On such nights, my mind begins to race and race and race.... and RACE!

I am thrust into thinking thoughts that are too deep to contemplate in the midst of my exceedingly busy days.

I am haunted with concepts that I could not possibly originate in a fully coherent state of being.

Often, I will have a phrase that replays in my mind, over and over, again and again and again. It is as if my subconscious is a vinyl record with scratch, causing the diamond needle to be stuck on a single note indefinitely.

It is relentless.
The continuously repeated phrase eats away at my rest. It will often rob me of six hours sleep.

Last night was such a night. I had a phrase rolling around in my head like a ball on a roulette wheel that never stops .

It was an observation made over two thousand years ago by Jesus of Nazareth. It was then reiterated in a 1858 speech by then Presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln.

"A house divided against itself, cannot stand".

For hours, my unwelcomingly active mind continuously repeated a fraction of this phrase... "A house divided", "A house divided", "A house divided", "A house divided", "A house divided"...... and on and on and on.

This is such a basic and simple truth that you and I often overlook. It is so obvious, yet is incredibly easy to fail to see.

"A house divided against itself, cannot stand".

We are living in a time and place in history, where division has obtained a place of preeminence in our daily interactions.

"A house divided".

Every single aspect of our lives have become politicized and polarized. Our nation has been severely cleaved in half to such a degree that it feels irreparable.

There are two political ideologies that are so diametrically opposed to one another, it may be impossible to close the chasm.

"A house divided".

Our political parties have become such strong identifiers, that they have reached cult like levels. If you deviate from the party line in any way, you are ostracized, ridiculed, derided and alienated like never before.

"A house divided".

The left hates the right, full stop. The right is dehumanized and have become caricatures of who they really are.

The right distrusts the left to such a degree that individuals on the left are seen as evil incarnate.

Division distorts reality.

Division makes headlines. Division helps the leaders of the two parties maintain control over all their constituents. Division drives people to seek out others who confirm their biases. Division builds ideological fortresses. Division makes enemies of neighbors.

Division destroys!

Big Tech, The Media, Our two party duopoly, all profit from chaos, division and confusion.

They control the rhetoric of their base, causing violence, hatred, distrust and division.

"A house divided".

We the PEOPLE are being played. We are all unwittingly being sucked into the vortex of a house divided against itself.

"A house divided".