Our world has deep roots in division, pitting people (including family, friends) against one another and fostering bullying and fighting rather than unification or peaceful co-existence. This division creates an us vs. them, all-or-nothing mentality that leads us to make over-generalizations about others.
We all need to approach others with an open mind, see each human as unique individuals, and work with an objective to listen to understand rather than to respond (defend or attack). Treating others with grace and compassion and trying to “walk a mile in their shoes” to try to understand where the other person is coming from is needed now more than ever in our world.
Diversity is what makes our world beautiful and interesting and yet it can also create division when groups of people feel marginalized or threatened. It is common to band together to defend our rights or position in an effort to survive.
Please remember that all humans deserve, at minimum, basic rights and the ability to live with respect and dignity. "The Golden Rule" is present in some form across all belief systems. On this World Kindness Day and every day, let's try to remember how we'd want to be treated and treat others with that same level of respect, no matter our differences.
The more that we are able to treat others as humans who have rights just like ourselves, treat others the way we'd want to be treated, listen to others with the objective to understand no matter our differences, learn from history and past mistakes, and evolve and grow, the more likely it will be that our world will take shape as a better place for all.
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