We Are All Family

One of the first stories a child learns about is the story of Noah. It was always fun to talk about the animals walking two by two onto the ark, and the great flood that covered the earth.  I'm not an export on religions, but it seems to me that many of them have a similar story in their teachings.  Is this story meant just to celebrate the preservation of animal life on this planet?  At a young age, I began to realize there's a greater message there that is often overlooked.

In my religious community, it is not uncommon for people to ask you if you are related to so and so from such and such an area.  Oddly enough, it happens frequently that we are related.  I used to turn it into a joke and would tell people that of course we were related, "You know the guy in the ark?"  So what turned out to be a joke originally got me thinking, and I came to a realization that there is a truth behind it.  Several of us may not have to go clear back to the ark to find a relationship, but considering how long ago it was, and how many we are, it is quite like we are indeed at some point and somehow related.  Simply stated, we are all brothers and sisters.

Some people may scoff and scorn at my simplistic reasoning, but in despite of it all, is it not worth considering that we are actuality just one large family?  It's a beautiful thing to think about, how so many people of so many different cultures, languages, colors, and life experiences could come together in one complete whole? So why must is it that we look at each other in so many negative ways? 

I hear on a daily basis stereotypes about such and such a people are bad because they come from a certain country or location, have a certain skin color, or so and so is an idiot because he is a man, or she is a woman.  It gets to be too much for me sometimes.  Yes, there are bad things that come from certain places or people, but name one country that has reached total perfection in habits or traditions...that everyone can agree on.  You might think it helps you feel better to gossip about, fight, or mistreat them, but how does that help that person, and how does it help the community?  Are any of us really better off by treating each other this way?

There are some scary things happening out in the world today, and it's easy to let fear get the better of us.  Don't trust people, many say.  I agree that we have to be smart and alert, but there are many out there we can learn from, and fear should not get in the way of that.