Walking alone alongside the whole community.

The world is talking. A year back, there wasn’t as much alarm as today, i.e. around me. to specifically focus on conflicts or options as to how we would like to resolve our own conflicts.

There are several communities – global level, national level, at city level, at individual community levels. All have their own model(s) and beliefs being applied to resolve conflicts and to maintain peace.

It is only reaching at quarter-life I have known my interest. What is it? I am still exploring. Each day, nature advances a new facet of my own interest. I take time to see the new facet, learn it, adapt its essence. There is so much to it. Each individual around me, is acting as a conflict resolving person, mediator, or a peacekeeper. The ways are different. The ideas are different. The thoughts are different. But the aim and motive – all same! All wanting good for their whole village. All wanting to help people around them to be out of their conflicts. Friends helping friends. Family helping family. Parents helping kids. Kids helping grandparents. Colleagues helping colleagues. Of course, all of this with a small t&c * mark.

Like one of my professors narrated me an event, in which he with his son had been to a restaurant for dinner. The restaurant staff wasn’t welcoming, for whatever reasons. Professor was upset, and in a bit of his angry tone called the waiter. The son reminded professor – now that professor was promoting mediation, conflict resolution – he shouldn’t display anger as he was no more a face of a strict lawyer. To which professor replied his son, that he had only mastered the art of keeping calm with a t&c * star mark. He had only rested the sword, just beside him, and that he is yet to master the art of being Buddha and to discard the sword. A mediator job – is no being Buddha. Mediators need Mediators. Just like Therapists need Therapists. But when need be – all of us fill in these roles automatically – we do not need a certificate or a qualification to start mediating between a fight.

While all of these thoughts take shape, why is there a feeling of walking alone? When everyone is being a helping hand, a mediator, a peacemaker… really! I see the whole community wanting to have peace* (*in their own ways). Yet, I walk alone. I did read some writings about Mediation profession being a lonely journey – before embarking on my decision of being a mediator. The writings kept reminding that this will turn to be a lonely business.

While I am still exploring my own thoughts – How true is it for you? Are you practicing as a mediator? Are you a mediator practitioner? What has been your journey towards setting up your mediation as a business or a full-time practice? Is it lonely? Or is it lively? Or this is just a flying emotion may be? Write to me and it will be a happy exchange of thoughts and experiences… (going down the line of the history of evolving full-time mediation practice, if there is one. I am sure there is.)