I was motivated to write today because of an experience I had with a couple of people over the past week. I will probably never cross paths with them again, but both conversations stuck with me.
There are people in this world who are inherently biased, so they live by their own set of moral rules.
I spoke with a gentleman who was not so gentlemanly. He spoke with little to no filter. No, I don’t mean profane language. Rather, he spoke with a very strong sense of negativity and shared his abrasive opinions of others.
He made remarks that didn’t sit well with me but I didn’t address his opinions proactively. Instead, I actively listened and when he was finished I attempted to soften his thought process just a little with my gentle and ever so eloquent reply. But he didn’t see the big picture that I tried to paint for him.
He was obviously set in his ways and there was seemingly no probability of changing his thought process on life, let along any specific thing that I deemed significant, like the fact that God created us all and we are all unique and special in his eyes even if the world doesn’t think so.
So, I just called it a loss and utilized the only option I had, and that was to pray for him in hopes that God will open his eyes to see people in a different way.
Perhaps, he needed to see himself in a different way first because I believe that the root of someone’s negativity about others really mirrors the way they feel about themselves.
Just a couple of days later, I had a similar conversation with someone else. The topic was somewhat different but the message was the same.
It had to do with cross-cultural communication. This individual had a soft and subtle way of demeaning people who’s verbiage or accents didn’t mirror hers. She said she was bothered by the struggle to communicate during her interactions with “these people”.
I thought to myself, “Maybe if she was suddenly released from her superiority complex and tried to be more open minded, the communication gap might be mended.”
I’ll say it again, “We are all God’s children”
Needless to say, I softly and subtly put things into perspective for her and she was able to grasp the concept that maybe she needed to rethink her position. I sensed a somewhat apologetic sound in her voice. I think that, in that moment, she was able to see her true self in the mirror. Perhaps, she didn’t like what she saw.
I’d be fascinated to know what people like the ones mentioned above would do if, by some strange coincidence, they learned that their ancestry could be linked to the very people they criticize. Wouldn’t that be interesting?
I personally find people of different cultures and bloodlines fascinating because we are all different in one way or another. Some of us just happen to speak the way in which the “world” deems acceptable and some of us don’t. The fact of the matter is that we can all learn from each other if we just tried.
God has blessed me with the desire to influence, create, and sustain a loving environment among the people I encounter in hopes that they will carry that loving mindset with them where ever they go and pass it on so it spreads like wildflowers.
We should all strive to make a positive difference.
Just something to think about…
Tea & Talks With Franchesca 