Growing up, I led a pretty sheltered life in many respects. Most everyone looked like me, talked like me, and while not many thought like me, I still felt as if I knew what to expect. Differences seemed subtle and not always visible, so it was easy to assume that the world was a pretty vanilla place.
As I grew older and gradually became more conscious of the world outside my small town Minnesota bubble, I began to realize that people outside Walker, MN, WERE different. Some folks had a different skin color, spoke a different language, and/or worshiped a different God. When I left my small town to go to college, I discovered that not only are the majority of people different from me in many respects, there was one thing I hadn’t really considered- sexuality. I grew up in a place where heterosexuality was not only the norm, but the only real option- meaning, of course, that those whose sexuality strayed off the accepted path were deep in the closet.
Even though I discovered over time that people could be and usually were different from me, that never really upset me. I enjoyed the variety, and I never found it to be threatening. Perhaps it was because my parents raised me to believe that people were people, and throughout my travels and years on this planet, I’ve discovered that to be true. Having lived and worked in three war zones, I understand what it’s like when people try to kill one another over silly, artificial differences, primarily religious. It’s not pretty, nor does it make any sense, but it happens…because how else will I know I’m better than you unless I can discriminate against you for your inferior beliefs/behavior/sexuality/politics/etc.?
No matter where I’ve traveled, the biggest lesson for me has been the realization that we humans are more alike than we are different. We may speak a different language, worship a different imaginary friend, or love differently, but when you strip all that away, what is it that people want? Safety, security, the ability to live their lives authentically, and to provide for their family and loved ones. Pretty simple, really…and if more of us could see our way clear to recognizing and acknowledging that, this world would be a much better place.
Treating people with respect. What a novel concept, eh??
