It seems to me that “Values” are universal and “What you value” is personal.

Values seem to be the unbendable law, and “what we value” bends toward our beliefs.

“Love thy neighbor” is universal; “Get off my lawn” is a reversal.

You have to be sightless not to see the tribal anger that is permeating our culture. That’s due in part to resistance to change. Society is always evolving but we don’t notice the change while it’s happening. It’s only after, when we read historic accounts, that we notice the building blocks that led to the change.

If you say, “This isn’t right,” you may want to ask yourself a question right after. That question is: “Is it not right because it violates values or is it not right because it violates what I value?”

Many of us value our preferences, predilections, and prejudices. If they don’t morph with the evolution of change, we’ll erect walls in order to stay the same. We will live in isolation with our tribe and be at war with anyone on the other side.

Values don’t change but what we value is adaptable. If we refuse to adjust, we’ll just continue to kick up dust and cloud the horizon so we can’t see the future.

Living in the past is the hallmark of “what I value.” The key to a more harmonious future is to start focusing on values now instead of corralling your sacred cow.

Look to nature for a clue. The rigid branch of a tree is the one that snaps. It’s the bendable branch that shapes its future.

All the best,

John