We're all humans. I heard said again while in Morocco. It was like a "ding ding ding! you should really listen right now moment." This time, it was more of a grander scheme of the world type though.
Continuing the stereotypes thought, why do we think we're all so "different" sometimes? Why do we feel the need to classify people, to group them into closed off groups? Why can't we look at people as individuals, as blank slates, able to make their own story? At the same time, just because you are labeled into some group, that does not mean that universal feelings, emotions, and even gestures disappear. The people we talked to in Morocco still liked to laugh, still liked to tell stories, still had dreams, still had ambitions, still had pains, and still had fears. They're not all that different from me. Its hard to explain. We're all still connected, we're all still...human. Just because we grew up somewhere else, was taught a different language, was taught a different religion, I'm set to believe that some things are universal.
Another universal human action was a simple smile. Its fascinating what all can be portrayed through a smile, every emotion, every desire. It was the first time in my life where I was completely illiterate. I couldn't even attempt to read any of the words because their entire alphabet was different. I couldn't understand any of their words. It was so weird. While I don't know Italian, Portuguese, or French, I at least can attempt to read it and guess what a sign means using my Spanish and English knowledge. But Arabic--shut down. It was back to relying on the basics. Its amazing how far something so easy to do can go. Because we couldn't communicate verbally with our host mother, we all just smiled at the awkward times...and at the grateful times...and at the cat times--Minush, the pet cat, was our biggest connecting point. He was a fiesty little cat and loved to play. Fatima would, as we were eating breakfast, pick him up and start playing with him or bopping him on the nose or whatever to get us all laughing. It was beautiful. When was the last time I was able to focus on just eating and smiling? Focusing at what was fully at hand because what else could we do? The same thing happened when we were at the small village. I was lucky to sit next to this woman who had a drawing smile where her beauty and innocence shown through. When we got to dance in their house, there was one little girl I was trying to coax to dance with my smile but she always gave me a shy hidden one back. Again, it was precious. So precious and beautiful, you just wanted to cry in the moment.
Why can't the extremists on every side see this? Why do somethings become so complicated so when they could be so much simpler? Why do we play what if games, what if they're mean, what if they're cheating me, what if they won't like me, what if what if what if...what if we just got to know people? What if we were able to put the judgments, fears, and stereotypes behind us? What if we were able to be brave and take that first to talk and listen to people? Why is it that the three top religions of the world--Christianity, Judaism, and Islam--all emphasis love-love God, love others, and love yourself- and yet we have the hardest time transferring that between the lines? We get caught up in so many different things when it always comes back to God is the final Judge and it is He who decides who gets to go to heaven, not us. Now I am in no way shape or form trying to discourage evangelism or people who are trying to convert others, but it is an action that must first drive out of love. They must find it through their own fear and trembling. I can't even say its a religion one should find, but to find an intimate relationship with God. Its possible that if you can't pin your beliefs to match one exact religion or version, then you're probably doing it just right. It has to be my belief, my faith, my standings, and my findings. It has to be a journey I make, not one "made" for me by some "human" defined church. Its interesting how Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are essentially so close in their beliefs, that its the small things that can throw someone over the edge and create conflict because of the fear of who is right? Only God knows...literally. It takes strength and courage to love someone who believes differently than I do. It takes faith in my God, in my belief, that I am able to eat, communicate, and live with those of other beliefs and still keep my relationship with God.
Its a tough world out there, but someone has to start being brave. Its all coming to personal choices to change, to be brave, to step out of the box because isn't that what I've always been told--one person can and sometimes has to make a difference in the world?
He explorado, soñado, y descubrió
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