God Bless Us, Every One

A small mountain community in the Colorado foothills is home to an eclectic group of individuals. One street corner is shared by both a businessman in a navy blue suit carrying a briefcase and a homeless man wearing layers of dingy color. Across the street a woman from somewhere in the middle east is wearing the traditional hijab and laughing with a young woman wearing her long hair in dreadlocks. The health enthusiast is outfitted in his commercially funded bicycle-wear, engaged in conversation with the college kid in tight jeans, t-shirt, and leather boots smoking a cigarette. Very unique walks of life all dwelling in the same street peacefully. 

Perhaps no one is drunk and that is why there is no disturbance. Or perhaps, perhaps it is a community that has learned to do life together, even if separately. 

Birds of many species share the same tree and do so rather peacefully. Sometimes the grackle or the hawk get a little mouthy and protect their territories, but many a unique nest has been built within the branches of a solitary tree. 

How boring wildflowers would be if only yellow flowers grew and discounted the beauty in orange or purple. And what if the backyard garden yielded only carrots, leaving out the flavors of tomatoes and cucumbers because they were, well, different?

Is it not wildly interesting that people have staked a claim on creation, deeming parts of it acceptable only for a certain portion of population that a certain majority have chosen as suitable? 

People choose to congregate with others who share common interests. Of course they do. Sports players, sports fans, dance clubbers, classical musicians, art lovers, chess players. But children are taught to accept the new kid, not to leave anyone out, to be inclusive. Eventually though, they learn as they grow that only some of those who share the commonality of humanity are suitable companions. 

Where does this go wrong? Can it be stopped?

Faith was restored driving down a busy street in town, populated with so very many dimensions of humanity. And for a short moment in time, it seemed that everyone belonged together in the same world. Peaceful. Lovely. 

God bless us, every one. We are many. We are one--the human race.