by Digger Barr
https://gaiasgardens.guru/
I was seated in a restaurant far from home when I heard it.
It took me by such surprise that I looked up from the menu and took stock of my surroundings.
The restaurant was pretty much like any hotel lounge. A seating area along the wall led into an open area.
A narrowing aisle gave way to a bar and a server station.
The familiar big screen TV with talking heads entertained those choosing to sit at the bar.
I think it was the anchor person’s comment coming from the black box that started my revelation.
When I travel I like to enjoy local cuisine and the sights and customs of the local culture.
I like to immerse myself in the differences that the diversity of our planet provides.
Sitting in a restaurant one should be able to hear hometown conversations while eating the special-of-the-day filled with distinct regional influences.
That day, I looked forward to dining alone and listening to what the locals were discussing.
What I heard was a wake up call.
The talking head on the tv screen was reporting on something.
I actually can’t remember what.
But the group of people walking by picked up on it and started making comments as they were being seated.
It doesn’t matter that I can’t remember the topic.
What I do remember is that the black box comment was an exact replica of a news anchor I had heard before leaving home.
The comments and ensuing conversation from the group of people now seated next to me was the same conversation folks in my hometown were having.
I had gotten on a plane flown across the country and found that we were all getting the same programming.
It’s been 20 years now since I realized this was happening.
At the time it was such a shock to me because I grew up remotely and I always had had such a different perspective from the rest of my friends.
I guess I thought that somehow I could travel and find more people with differences and varying perspectives.
I thought that there were endless degrees of separation and the whole world would be a spectrogram of variety and change.
This is true in some respects. But that day in that restaurant what I found was stranger than finding differences between people.
What I found was the stark similarities.
Apparently the world was not all that different. And I found that to be very disturbing.
Genocide aside here seems to been some programming afoot that is trying to create a monoculture.
And oddly I believe it is being done by pointing out people’s differences.
The action of separate and divide is actually doing more than causing social and racial unrest.
I think it is pushing us to have all the same prejudices.
It is directing us to accept a perspective provided for us.
And it is effective because it keys in on our emotional identification of who we think we are.
I think we all understand the damage that is being done by intentionally programming our children with ideas like critical race theory.
CRT points out the discrimination based on prejudices in our multi-systems.
We are confusing our children with adult issues created from programmed thinking.
We are walking a fine line between what is acceptance and what spurns rejection.
We are caught up in a struggle to be politically correct and unbiased.
And yet we don’t know what is the right way to say something or even if its acceptable to acknowledge skin color.
Noticing skin color means that we are prejudiced. Or that we are entitled somehow.
We are so slammed intent on including everyone we can’t accept people for being different.
Or if they are so different we run the other way.
We are so confused we are afraid to speak from our own hearts.
There is a huge discussion over one of the presidential candidates origins and how to describe the race of color.
Amusing conversation in a nation made up of blender bloodlines.
Does anyone in the USA have a single lineage? And where does that lineage start?
How far back does one need to trace their origins for the answer to become acceptable?
And this discussion is used by both sides of the debate for their own benefit.
There is merit in both discussions. And then there is the underlying flaw.
Case in point there are benefits to differences as well as cause for separation.
The whole thing is ridiculous and a weaponized form of conversation.
The same thing has happened to gender references and using pronouns as identification.
I am going to cross the line here and include using National borders as divisive tools.
Historically entire families have been separated by random lines drawn in the sand.
And even stranger yet, we have fallen into the trap of declaring how everything ‘matters’ as if we need to focus on including every detail as important.
By focusing and saying all these differences matter begins with the premise that somehow it doesn’t have value to begin with.
And if it wasn’t valued to begin with we must make statements demanding attention to give it value again.
Good grief. Hit the brakes people!
We do not need to declare our worth.
Our worth is inherent in the fact that we were born.
We are working so hard to include everyone.
We are in many ways similar and yet we should honor our differences.
Skin color aside, who we are is found in our different perspectives and this is extremely valuable.
How can we even have a conversation these days if we don’t accept each other as our own unique and wonderful selves?
Being born into a certain region, religion, culture, race and even socio-economic condition, are not elements to be shunned or devalued.
Nor are they to be elevated and glorified.
These are not judgment points to highlight, condone or forgive responsibility for behavior.
They are pigments of our makeup.
They are the building blocks of what makes us who we are.
Each of us as individuals have a genuine make up of origin and environment.
Nature and nurture.
The color of my skin doesn’t matter.
What matters is that it holds my innards together.
There is no one like you. There is no one like me.
We are all a sweet combination of different elements created to have a different experience.
Our families are those that share the most common elements.
But we are still each our own unique blend of amazing.
So when I hear talking heads guiding peoples thoughts, I wonder.
I wonder when we will let go of the programming and think for ourselves.
I want to let the children decide for themselves who they are and how they want to be.
I want to travel the world and find diversity thriving.
I enjoy being different, my skin won’t tell you how different I am.
Having a conversation with me will.
That is the beauty within each of us.
The world has such beauty to share.
A treasure we will find when we are comfortable in our own skin.
A shared beauty that we experience differently because of our own journey.
Show me your heart and I will show you my smile.
Dare to be different.
Dare to be yourself.
Digger24