Difference As a Connecting Force
In a world that’s filled with division, we may find ourselves wondering, “just how do we co-exist with others who embody different ideas, perspectives, and ingrained beliefs, all the while remaining people of integrity and truth” - our truth that is.
How do we connect with people whose experiences are worlds different from our own?
We are all interconnected in some way, and that is the human race. As imperfect beings, we all have strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities regardless of our openness. Each aspect of our humanness is unique in its own way.
There is beauty in differences, but we have been separated by years of oppression, privilege, and disregard. In some ways we have all been marred by the idea that if a person does not think, speak, or live like me, there is something wrong with who they are in their being, and their being shouldn’t take up more space than my own. Their ideas shouldn’t take precedent over my own, because after all, we can’t all be great together.
Could it be that there is something in that individual and their life experience that one could learn from to be a more well-rounded human? Could our learning from them help to improve our own blind spots so that we aren’t naively disregarding someone’s human experience?
Or perhaps you have learned that your dominance is defined by the color of your skin, and the access you’ve been given.
Could it be that one way of thinking, doing, or existing is not worthy of dominance simply because it’s different?
Can we learn to allow differences to exist without judgment, but instead with curiosity and a commitment to exploration for what makes it unfamiliar to us? Perhaps that desire will connect us to create a more driving force?
Or have we learned that power is established by embracing familiarity, and excluding groups of difference from higher places that could benefit the wellness of all?
Can we begin to curate a life that is no longer predicated on generational toxicity, but one that is created with balance, the embracing of inclusivity, and understanding that difference can connect us far more than divide us?
The key is that when different worlds connect, there is a power that can be formed, which could be a vehicle for greater accomplishment in life that we all internally crave to live in.
This will require us to check our internal bias, learn how to develop more balanced ideas, even if that means breaking from the familiar, inhumane, ideals of our forefathers.
What if the focal point of dominance was curated through the power of difference being the bridge between the worlds. A connective force in of itself.
What if people were willing to take an honest, in-depth look at themselves and how they interact with the world around them, especially their neighbor?
It is time to no longer simply hope but take action.
From one human to another human,
let’s begin.