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Happy beautiful weekend everyone. The weekend of Valentine’s Day. Hopefully you were able to give and receive a little extra demonstration of love. Even if, and many times more importantly, that was shown in the form of self love. Today, with so much to be grateful for, I’ve been sifting through thoughts of ego. Ego, fear and the impact on attitudes towards our fellow human beings.
We come into this world with an innate desire towards discovery. Children are open and honest, sometimes what we as adults perceive being brutally so. Regardless of race, gender, or other ‘definers’ we may allow to divide us as ‘grownups’, when a child sees someone, they naturally want to play. Kids are driven to discover and learn and explore.
Have you ever noticed how kids in preschool and even into early elementary school greet each other? They are open, full of love and ready for discovery. They look to help, learn, share and discover coming from a source of compassion, truth and love. They ask questions of each other that are natural in their innocence and based in exploration.
Gradually, through environment, society, media, all of the above, we allow the construction of the idea of other. So as we grew older, we learn not to hug as much, if at all. And we learned that some forms of discovery and exploration are, if not bad, at least taboo.
Dare I ask about faith, beliefs, practices, place of origin, or abilities that may or may not be different from mine. When we’re out with our children, and certain questions are asked, topics broached, we tend to hush them. They receive an explanation that communicates that it is inappropriate to explore.
We inadvertently shut down discovery, and along with that risk shutting down growth. And in too many instances, people come to a point where we only feel comfortable exploring our sameness. Am I learning and growing in this world at all if I only surround myself with middle aged Jewish guys who love Chicago sports? Although I do love my fellow Bears fans and a debate about deep dish or thin crust!
And in our society today, with tribalism at an all time high, we are not celebrating our differences, we end up demonizing them. Things that may have been said quietly on the sidelines previously, are now amplified by the internet and on social media. And we retreat further into our tribes.
Today I ask for myself, and I hope for each of you, the opportunity to continue to explore my child like nature of discovery. I want to know where you come from and what makes you different. I want to share my experienecees, and most importantly then bridge to those areas where we are the same. I want to carry empathy, and love and kindness. And remember again what it was like to be like a child, without a care in the world. Other than the care and love for any other being I encounter.
Sending love, light and laughter! ❤️🙏