I’m off to Australia this coming week so the next few blogs will take the form of a travelog through the beautiful states of New South Wales and Victoria.
Wendy and I are traveling with other family members to attend the wedding of our niece Laura and her fiance Anthony in Melbourne. We’ll also be visiting Sydney, The Great Dividing Range, and The Great Ocean Road! If you have experiences or suggestions you would like to share please let me know.
As I write this it is March 1st which, as every Welshman knows, is the day dedicated to the patron Saint of Wales, David. By extension it is a celebration of all things Welsh. Welsh people wear the daffodil or the leek, two traditional symbols of Wales. Unlike St. Patrick’s Day which is universally celebrated in the U.S. St. David’s Day is hardly known. Yet there are many Americans of Welsh descent throughout the United States.
After over 30 years in the States I consider myself quite American in many ways, and yet there is still a strong connection to the homeland and its culture and traditions. I believe this to be a strength. Acknowledging our inherent oneness as we do in Unity does not mean devolving into sameness. We can be diverse in culture, experience, preference, and origin while still sharing common, core values. These values, like honesty, integrity, love of one’s family, willingness to serve and help others, are enhanced by our diversity rather than threatened by it. We bring a unique flavor to the connections we make.
Some elements in our world are retrenching even retreating into ethnic, religious, and nationalistic identities as defenses against those who are different. This retreat involves seeing others as the enemy. Luckily, the majority of the earth’s people do not view it this way, even though it take only a relative few using terror and aggression, or the fear of terror and aggression, to influence others.
I invite us to see through the fear and the smokescreen of confusion that fear creates. The sun is still shining. Decency and helpfulness remain. Love prevails.
Go ahead and celebrate your uniqueness. But remember, that you are indeed beautifully unique, just like everyone else.