This issue is really personal for me. Not because I'm Israeli or Palestinian, but because my family suffered like both of these groups.

Unfortunately, we're caught in this cycle of violence with no end in sight. Complicating matters each side forces you to choose their side, or be labelled an evil person. Turns out we don't have to choose one side or the other. Instead we can choose the American side. As a matter of fact, the American side holds all the "cards". So the question isn't what should the Israelis or Palestinians do, the question is what are we Americans going to do?

Did you know President George Washington hated the idea of political parties? Did you know he ran for a second term to prevent early party politics from tearing the country apart? Did you know that political parties aren’t even necessary in the US? We’ve been told that we have two choices, and that voting for a 3rd party is a waste of a vote. But there are more options than a 3rd party, even better options, and they don’t rely on us waiting for our politicians to do the right thing. We have the power to change the political status quo!

Are you worried about our contentious politics? About where this leads? About the safety and security of your family? I’ve been where you are, and I’d like to share my experiences. Experiences that brought me from angry and isolated to happy and connected, due to the kindness of one person. The lesson she taught me might help us all heal our partisan divisions.

A lot of us fear civil strife or even civil war, and we feel powerless watching our nation unravel. I have to admit that I was part of the problem. I fell into the trap of feeling scared and angry towards “the other.” Fortunately, I learned how to unlock a superpower that you, and I, and all of us have access to. A tool that’ll help us to feel calm, connected, and in control. It may even help us build that better future we’ve been wanting.