Every so often, I look with wonder at all of the different faces I see when in a public place. No two the same. Every face with its own personality and uniqueness.
If you think about it, never do we ever see two faces that are the same. Visually, we are such a diverse population. The diversity of our physical experience goes far beyond different tastes in clothes or favorite colors that we choose to wear.
Yet there is never any confusion in identifying us once seen and noticed. The look in our eye. Our smiles and frowns unique in their own way. The wrinkles under our eyes and around our chin. The size of our nose and ears. The color of our hair amplified by its length and style.
Diversity beyond challenge. Why then do we make the mistake to assume that others should believe what we do, respond how we would, think like we do, and so on?
Against the common story that we are more the same than different? We all laugh & cry. Wanting similar things in life leading to safety, comfort, and connection.
Knowing, but never taking the time to learn the stories of each different face we encounter in our travels. Filling in the face with a person’s unique life story. Sometimes learning while other times comforting, Most importantly, taking the time to acknowledge their presence and worth by connecting with them through our gift of attention.
Hidden behind all of this diversity comes the realization, that each face carries with it many hidden things. Fears, doubts, & struggles unique to each person. Levels of knowledge that may vary between them. Some more travelled or worldly than others. The range of emotions and ego is so wide in different people. Leaving an individual’s level of self-discipline to control all of this as fascinating as its degree of manifestation. Tied together through storytelling of struggle and accomplishements.
Revealing to us the gift of our attention towards each other as being one of the most powerful ways we can be human. To laugh and cry together. To help and care for each other. Being simply happy to know and be with people. Accepting each for who they are. Not pushing anyone away for who they are not. Most importantly, never destroying anyone’s seeds of self-expression by quickly judging and forcing who we are on others.
There is a depth in embracing the diversity we first see only in faces. Exploring it can bring great joy by better understanding others, using attention as our main tool. Leading to the discovery of deeper meanings in each of our lives.
Saying with convinction while guided by humility “You are interesting. I enjoy who you are. I am grateful for the time we took to get to know each other a bit better. Thanks for teaching me something new by sharing your life stories with me. Looking forward to connecting again soon.”
If only we could put down our phones long enough to understand what is possible when we truly seek to be more human.