Acceptance

“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.” – Buddha 

Over 30 years ago, I had the honor and privilege to participate in a workshop given by Dr. C. T. Vivian, a disciple of Martin Luther King.  The workshop was a 2 day life experience I will never forget and thank God for the chance to participate in it.  Although I think everyone walked away from it with different lessons, the greatest lesson I received from it was acceptance.  Part of the experience was to simulate what it felt like to be unaccepted. Although there were many meaningful exercises, the one that I remember the most was when our group did not do what the norm was, giving me great faith and trust in people and tomorrow.  We were given an exercise where half the people were sent out into the hall so we could not hear the directions given to the people left in the room.  Those left in the room where told to make a circle and under no circumstances where they to let anyone come into their circle or become a part of it.  When we were brought into the room, we were told to join the circle.  One at a time each and every one of us, were able to join the circle.  I simply asked an 18 year old young man to let me in and he did breaking the rules and not following what he was told.  Dr. Vivian said that had never happened before out of 100s of workshops he had given and how unique this group was.  What a wonderful lesson.  It was to teach discrimination and give us a taste of what it was like, but it thought acceptance instead.     

Prejudice is an ugly thing.  It poisons people and is a crime against humanity.  Weather it be prejudice against a race, creed, color, religion, looks, handicap, or sexual orientation, we can not be happy and hate at the same time.  Respecting others and accepting others is mandatory in your life if you want to really be happy.  It is also mandatory in God’s eyes.  I don’t often quote scripture but in case you wish to look it up:  Matthew 22:36-40

Second Greatest Commandment -- “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Prejudice definition:  an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.  In other words it is spelled ignorance.

Be happy, love your neighbor and God bless you.