Certainly our days are full of navigating our way through the differences between ourselves and other people - no matter if we're with family, friends, colleagues or strangers. Sometimes we experience the differences happily and with appreciation; other times - maybe unhappily, perhaps with annoyance, irritation or puzzlement. Often, our reactions depend on what we are intent on at any given time. When our primary intention is to truly connect with others, it helps to remember how we are alike - not just different.
An example I want to share with you is a recent
World Cafe styled gathering hosted by a local city. To begin, all of the participants were invited to share their stories of immigration to this country (USA). Some stories went back generations; some just a few years or less. Everyone listened to each person's story, spell-bound. Even though some stories were a bit similar, each person was seen, heard, respected and appreciated as special and unique.
The stories naturally led participants to
talk about needs and dreams they have in common. Freedom. Choice. Purpose. Respect. Community. Safety. Stability. Support. Trust. Peace. Hope. Equality. Understanding. Acceptance. Inclusion. Harmony. Talking about these common needs and dreams, they empathized with one another and enjoyed a level of understanding they would not have had any other way. Listening to one another's stories, these citizens quickly cleared the tables for conversations about concrete dreams for their city.
Stories create the conditions for us to be curious and to empathize with one another. We wake up to what a person cares about and to what matters most to a person. Sharing our stories opens us up to seek connection with one another, rather than to hold others in judgment.
Surely, the participants in this gathering have begun to create another story together! It will be the story of how they made a difference in the city they call home.
