I have lived in three very different parts of the country.
I was raised in rural Northern California, where it’s a mostly conservative area and not incredibly diverse (though there is a fairly large Mexican-American population). Most people tend to stay in NorCal for their entire lives, so there’s little need/desire to understand the beliefs of others.
I went to college in extremely diverse Southern California and lived there for seven years total. It is said that you can find people from nearly every country in the world there, and I loved that aspect. I loved being in the minority for once. And I began to learn that others have had different lived experiences that lead to their worldviews.
I have lived in South Central Pennsylvania for nearly seventeen years. There’s some diversity here and it’s definitely a different culture than California, so I have had to adapt. It’s a fairly “purple” state with varying opinions, which I appreciate.
All three geographical areas helped shape me into who I am. Each area taught me different things about humanity, differences, and the importance of diversity. I learned to listen to the lived experiences of others and to not assume that I have it all figured out (because, of course, I don’t).
It’s been a worthwhile journey.
But more than that, my experiences outside of the country truly changed me. It became so evident that we have more in common than we tend to believe. And, I learned that we don’t have it all figured out here in the U.S. (which is okay!).
My month in Tunisia (a majority Muslim, Middle Eastern country) in 2005 taught me that there is beauty, love, and kindness to be found even especially when people believe differently than you do.
My week in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake showed me the resilience of the human spirit when faced with the utter decimation of an entire city. It showed me that our happiness shouldn’t rely on our comfort, that possessions don’t actually bring us joy or contentment. I saw incredible community and creativity. I saw love.
My week in Guatemala in 2014, which was primarily spent with orphaned children, gave me a glimpse into the overwhelming circumstances that lead people to risk everything to come to the United States. Hope is a powerful thing and it leads desperate people to take enormous risks to try to have a better life.
Through all of these experiences, because I allowed myself to step outside of my hometown and into the stories of others, I learned that other cultures have so much to teach us.
If we would all be willing to listen to the lived experiences of others, and even take some time to live alongside them, we would be changed. We would gain empathy and understanding.
We would remember that those who are different from us don’t always have nefarious intent. They aren’t always evil or out to get us.
We would understand that we all want the same things: life, liberty, and the ability to pursue happiness.
Take the opportunity to humbly recognize your own biases and prejudices; take note of the areas where you lack understanding. If something or someone is making you angry, ask yourself why. Why does their existence anger me? What do I actually know about them and their story?
Our commonalities outnumber our differences.
It is SO easy to hate those who are different. To actively work to limit their rights or their freedoms. To impose your will upon them. To make assumptions about them.
But is this loving?
This doesn’t only apply to those who belong to a different race or ethnicity – it applies to those who belong to a different political party than you. Those who are of a different economic status than you. Those who have different abilities than you.
You don’t know what you don’t know. And when you do know, it’s time to DO better.
Learning about others is an essential part of loving our neighbors, not only the ones who believe like us, think like us, or live like us. ALL neighbors, ALL people.
Be willing to learn, willing to listen to understand. By doing so, we love.
Even So, Joy 