As I think of the cultures reflected in the communities where I have lived, I find myself reflecting on a wonderfully colorful and complex mosaic. From India to America’s South, from California to Singapore, from the UK to the United Arab Emirates, each is different and yet there are themes which prevail.
We are far more alike than we are different. Starting with the need to belong and the desire to love and be loved, we share a love for living and relationships. It is wonderfully crazy to see how universal some themes are. From idealistic rebellion to road rage, from the loyalty and love of a mother to a child to the pride parents have in their children. In our struggles and in our celebration, one finds the shared joys and fears, loyalty and love.
The external rarely reflect the detail inside. Everyone has a story. I find most willing and eager to tell their story if the circumstances are right. It is fun to create a safe place, one where individuals know they will be heard. When it begins, the party is off and running! In great moments as well as one’s less so, the universal themes of the ages are retold in new ways. It is hard to exclude anyone once you know her or his story. Each account is an invitation to step into their community, to live if only for a time.
Understanding, forgiveness, and compassion are always in short supply. I catch myself sliding into judgement even as Whispers remind me of times where evil and ugliness were on full display through my words and actions. To be candid, I think mercy is far more valuable than justice.
Where does this leave me today? I am reminded that the man to my left is my brother, the woman to my right is my sister. We are, in our best and at our worst, children of Divinity. We are called to help each other in our journeys, especially when we fall. “Let every living, breathing creature praise God! Hallelujah!” (Psalm 150.6).
