I was visited recently by an old colleague I'd not seen for many years. He -- like me -- had always been on the liberal side of politics, and in the old days we'd spent many a happy hour dissecting, analyzing, and fault-finding. I have to say that he was not idle either -- he spent a considerable amount of his time in voluntary social work. In other words, his money was where his mouth was.

After we met up again, he talked just as he used to about the social wrongs in the world, and marveled how anyone could hold a right-wing political position. I contributed for a while, but as the time passed I became more and more quiet. Eventually I was simply listening. And what I heard -- for the first time ever -- was not my friend arguing his way to a conclusion, as I thought we had done all those years before. I realized that he was arguing from a premise -- the premise being that he was right and those of a different political orientation were wrong. And as I realized this, I also understood for the first time that my own political beliefs had been similarly founded, and that I had used them as a distraction to divert myself from something I could not stand about ME.

After a few days, my friend left. He had remarked once or twice on my quietness, but did not ask the reason for it, and I could see no fruitful way of telling him anyway. He reminded me of what I was before I began my daily practice of Steps 10, 11 and 12. I should have loved to say to him, "Have you tried meditating?" but I'm sure he would have asked, "Why? Does that solve all these political problems?" And then I should have had to say, "No, it just makes them disappear ...."

Perhaps I should have said something. Perhaps I will, if he visits again.