THE DIVERSITY THAT DISTINGUISHES US
As individuals, we are all unique and we display our uniqueness in a variety of ways.
Physically, we vary in age, gender, genealogy, height, weight and pigmentation of various types including skin, eye and hair color. Emotionally, we range from passionate to aloof, loving to hateful, compassionate to selfish and all that falls between. Mentally, we are categorized anywhere from genius to challenged, logical to irrational and scientific to creative.
Any attempt to deny this apparent diversity is dishonest.
Moreover, acknowledging the diversity that distinguishes us is not wrong, for it recognizes the unique combination of qualities that comprise every individual.
The problem arises when any one of these become our singular point of identity.
The diversity that distinguishes us must never supersede the sameness that connects us.
As the above quote so poetically illustrates, we are a mosaic; and it is our human identity that is the framework that holds each aspect of our diversity in place. Each aspect of the diversity that distinguishes us is a different shape and color of glass that contributes to the uniqueness of that mosaic. That distinct uniqueness to be celebrated and reveled in.
Yet, one isolated piece of glass, however beautiful and unique, is not the complete work of art, and will never become a masterpiece solely on its own. Its greatness and uniqueness is only fully realized within the greater whole.
At this point, it must be strongly emphasized that accepting your point of identity as human does not put you into a homogeneous lock-step with all of humanity.
Quite the contrary, for accepting your point of identity as human is more akin to allowing you to uniquely dance in your own way, while at the same time recognizing that you are not dancing alone; and as you dance, realizing that it is within a greater dance…that is within a greater dance.
The rhythm - that of the human experience.
The only direction from the choreographer is that as you move, you do no harm to any of the others upon the dance floor that is Earth.
Moreover, like dance, our diversity is fluid, for we can change many of the aspects that distinguish us. We can change the manner in which we worship the Creator, we can change our political affiliation, our citizenship…even our gender.
The one thing we cannot change is that underlying all of those aspects, we are all human.
One needs to look no further than their own hand to understand the true role of our diversity. Just as our fingerprints denote us as human, they also symbolize our uniqueness within the body of humanity, for we all know that no two sets of fingerprints are exactly alike. Yet we are not our fingerprints – we are human.
Therein lies the proper perspective we must adopt towards the diversity that distinguishes us. Acknowledge and celebrate the uniqueness of each aspect of our diversity while at the same time never allowing any aspect to become a point of identity; for no aspect of our diversity should ever supersede or be contrary to our humanity.
© 2019 Seth Adamson
Physically, we vary in age, gender, genealogy, height, weight and pigmentation of various types including skin, eye and hair color. Emotionally, we range from passionate to aloof, loving to hateful, compassionate to selfish and all that falls between. Mentally, we are categorized anywhere from genius to challenged, logical to irrational and scientific to creative.
Any attempt to deny this apparent diversity is dishonest.
Moreover, acknowledging the diversity that distinguishes us is not wrong, for it recognizes the unique combination of qualities that comprise every individual.
The problem arises when any one of these become our singular point of identity.
The diversity that distinguishes us must never supersede the sameness that connects us.
As the above quote so poetically illustrates, we are a mosaic; and it is our human identity that is the framework that holds each aspect of our diversity in place. Each aspect of the diversity that distinguishes us is a different shape and color of glass that contributes to the uniqueness of that mosaic. That distinct uniqueness to be celebrated and reveled in.
Yet, one isolated piece of glass, however beautiful and unique, is not the complete work of art, and will never become a masterpiece solely on its own. Its greatness and uniqueness is only fully realized within the greater whole.
At this point, it must be strongly emphasized that accepting your point of identity as human does not put you into a homogeneous lock-step with all of humanity.
Quite the contrary, for accepting your point of identity as human is more akin to allowing you to uniquely dance in your own way, while at the same time recognizing that you are not dancing alone; and as you dance, realizing that it is within a greater dance…that is within a greater dance.
The rhythm - that of the human experience.
The only direction from the choreographer is that as you move, you do no harm to any of the others upon the dance floor that is Earth.
Moreover, like dance, our diversity is fluid, for we can change many of the aspects that distinguish us. We can change the manner in which we worship the Creator, we can change our political affiliation, our citizenship…even our gender.
The one thing we cannot change is that underlying all of those aspects, we are all human.
One needs to look no further than their own hand to understand the true role of our diversity. Just as our fingerprints denote us as human, they also symbolize our uniqueness within the body of humanity, for we all know that no two sets of fingerprints are exactly alike. Yet we are not our fingerprints – we are human.
Therein lies the proper perspective we must adopt towards the diversity that distinguishes us. Acknowledge and celebrate the uniqueness of each aspect of our diversity while at the same time never allowing any aspect to become a point of identity; for no aspect of our diversity should ever supersede or be contrary to our humanity.
© 2019 Seth Adamson