No Matter Where You Go, People are Just People
There is this strange belief in the world that people are different. This belief has caused strife, trouble and heartache for people everywhere. This belief has been used to keep some people in power and others out of power. It has divided our humanity like no other belief ever has. It still after all these years just makes no sense to me at times. Who am I kidding? It never makes sense to me.
As a kid in Texas I got the chance to grow up and have friends of all backgrounds. Different races always lived in my neighborhood and most of my closest friends were of a different race. Early on our landlord was Hindu and his son and I became friends and learned about our different faiths together. In high school my best friend was Catholic and we had and still do have many discussions about faith and following God.
I am saying all of this so that when I make the statement that “People are just people” you do not think it is out some pie in the sky experiences or just deciding because of my faith that I should see people that way. My faith plays a part in how I view people, but it is not the end of the story. My experiences in life have shown me that good people and bad people come in categories: persons of faith, doubters, races, sexual orientation and even college sports fans. That last one is for all the people who live in Michigan but cannot stand Ohio State in the least.
As an adult I have been able to travel to several countries and spend time with people from other countries. I love going to learn and try to understand other cultures and people. This week we are in Puerto Vallarta and have enjoyed once again mixing in and up with the locals. A conversation with a man downtown reminded me once again of the fact that we are just all people.
We were trying to get back to our hotel from downtown. We stood and waited for our Uber driver to show. As we stood there an older gentleman struck up a conversation with me. He had a friend who drove a cab. When he found out we were waiting for our uber he shook his head and started telling me a story. He railed on about the Uber drivers had come here from other towns in Mexico. They had come here and were working without paying taxes and taking fares from the taxis. He did not like the Uber and he was not completely sure about me, for taking a ride with them.
As he talked, I thought, I’ve had this same conversation in Michigan and Texas. Those conversations always make me shake my head like the one last night. It amazed me how much he sounded like a person from the Midwest of America. In Mexico they are facing the same plight we are, and some have the same attitude about how “those people” are different and should not be there. The conversation rolled around in my head as I went to sleep. It amazes me no matter where we live or what we do for a living that we tend to put people in boxes and not let those boxes change.
Political and religious leaders make larger than life speeches about how we can get past these beliefs that keep us separated. Anyone can make a speech and make promises. It is up to us to individually to change the world we live in and how we interact with everyone else. It is our choice to not judge a book by it’s cover, but how about we don’t even judge the cover. We all have a story about someone who did something to me at sometime and I just can’t let it go. Those stories are universal. How about we walk across the room or the street and just talk. Occasionally just stop yourself from assuming something and another person. Give them a chance to show you who they are what they are about. We will all be amazed at who we meet and what we learn from each other.
Our leaders cannot legislate this, nor can preachers sermonize it into existence. We individually have to make the difference for the people in our life. Not the ones like us, or that we like; but to every person we come in contact with. Look them in the eye and say hello. Take someone to lunch you normally wouldn’t go to lunch with and learn their story. Ask questions. It is the greatest way to show honor to them is to learn about them. Most of all don’t sit and rail against the leaders or ring your hands in despair. Just reach out and care about others, just because we are just people.