Many days we\u2019ve asserted the fact that people experience life differently. As written here before the pandemic ever began, for example\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Hispanic neighbors across the street are consistently engaged in managing their business and chasing after their adorable, young children.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n My gay friends on the corner take some glorious, fantastic vacations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The married professionals next door are gone a lot; we don\u2019t talk as much as any of us would like.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And the single, black mom down the block has an incredibly full plate.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Each of us experience the world differently. And that\u2019s just on my small street.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends, my sense is we can say this until we\u2019re rhetorically blue in the face. But I\u2019m not sure we really believe it. We might agree we experience life differently. But I\u2019m not sure we agree that the experience of another is equally valid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We experience life differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are affected by life differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not every aspect of life affects all people the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s play with some continued, respectful, more challenging examples\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know multiple people who unfortunately have Covid-19 right now. For some it is life-threatening. For others it\u2019s just a cough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know multiple people significantly affected by the Affordable Care Act. For some it has provided a less expensive means to healthcare. For others it has cost them thousands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know multiple people who have been mistreated because of their gender. For some they were grossly abused. For others they have a history of prevarication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I mean zero disrespect, friends. What I reject is the notion that we are this monolith culture \u2014 fueled by an identity embedded in the erroneous idea that all who share a circumstance, demographic, or distinguishing characteristic are affected in exactly the same way. And because we\u2019ve concluded that we are affected the same way, we should also think, feel, and vote the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we are lured into such thinking, we are oft lured further into concluding that if another actually does not<\/em> think like me, the way they experience life is less<\/em> credible, viable or valid. To be clear\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n credible<\/strong> | \u02c8kred\u0259b(\u0259)l | adjective<\/em> – able to be believed; convincing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n viable<\/strong> | \u02c8v\u012b\u0259b(\u0259)l | adjective<\/em> – capable of working successfully; feasible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n valid<\/strong> | \u02c8val\u0259d | adjective<\/em> – having a sound basis in logic or fact; reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So let\u2019s ask the bigger question\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why do we fall prey to the notion of a monolith way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n And \u2014 bigger still \u2014 what is the danger of such thinking?<\/p>\n\n\n\n No doubt B.Brown, Carnegie, Covey, etal. would each have far more substantiated answers than here, but let\u2019s humbly attempt a simplistic stab\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why do we fall prey?<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s easier. It\u2019s easier to come to conclusions that fit in my already established, current world view. We are not fond of the outlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what\u2019s the danger of adhering to such?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When we forget that we experience life differently, we fail to honor the life that is different than our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We honor not because another is deemed deserving; we honor because it\u2019s a wise way to live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n\n\n\n P.S. An added note\u2026 I\u2019ve never known a person generous with their honor who lived with much regret\u2026 fascinating, indeed\u2026 Many days we\u2019ve asserted the fact that people experience life differently. As written here before the pandemic ever began, for example\u2026 \u201cMy Hispanic neighbors across the street are consistently engaged in managing their business and chasing after their adorable, young children. My gay friends on the corner take some glorious, fantastic vacations. The married professionals … <\/p>\n
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