are you feeling excluded?

I have been thinking about how people feel excluded or included.

I wonder whether sometimes we feel excluded or threatened when someone expresses something with which we are not in unity when all they were doing was expressing their take on something and meant nothing ill toward us.

I know that sometimes things are said and done that are intended to exclude people but I wonder how good we are at discerning when that is what is going on and when something entirely innocent has happened?

Can we hear things with which we disagree without wanting to fight or flee?

Can we forebear?

Even if something is said or done to hurt us, or to chase us away, what is the skillful practice? What is the response we should make in such a situation to conform ourselves (and perhaps to situation) to the Light?

Can we resist the strong impulses that come up, impulses we know are not consistent with love of neighbor, love of enemy?