When we only associate with
like-minded people in our various communities, there often isn't room to grow,
as new ideas aren't being introduced.
We tend to
gravitate toward people who are the most like us, at least in the ways that
make us feel comfortable. But life has its way of bringing us into contact with
people who challenge us with their differences. It may be an obvious difference
reflected in their outward appearance or an invisible but powerful
philosophical stance, but even in our closest circle, there are those that
confront us with their different ways of experiencing and expressing life. We
can choose to resist, but we can also choose to learn from them and appreciate
that they too have a place in the kaleidoscope of life.
As much as we
may say that we want peace and quiet and a life without struggle, the truth is
that human beings are, at this time, thriving in a world of dualities and
challenges. It is how we choose to approach these hurdles that determine if we
sail over them, confirming our agility, or trip and end up face down in the
dust. And each of us absolutely will and must stumble, and then get up, brush
the dust off and carry on. This is how we learn and grow, developing depth of
character and shades of understanding. In a world of dualities, we have trouble
defining ourselves without something opposite, and can't discover who we are.
Without challenge, there is nothing to do and nothing to discover. That leaves
us either in a state of non-being or the state of pure spirit, but as humans,
we are spiritual beings experiencing the physical world in all of its startling
contrast and beauty.
No matter how
spiritual we are, our lives will have challenges. We will always run into
people that are different that we are, but the true challenge may be in finding
ways to be at peace with this process. Rather than give in to the fight or
flight response that comes from our animal nature, we can find new ways to
evolve together into higher more beautiful expressions of ourselves, realizing,
embracing and celebrating the beauty of diversity and the strength it offers
for the future.
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