So … Where Are You From? ~ Cultural Curiosity ~

Being curious about people has always been a significant part of my life. A memory that takes me back to a very young age is one when I joined my mother at work. I’m not sure how long mom worked for the Inglewood school district, or why I was even there, but I remember this moment. 

 I know that I had seen black people before, and was told that when we lived in the south, that I even had a ‘mammy’ as a toddler. Perhaps it was the amount of black people that took me by surprise. I was only curious about their different color, and that their hair was different. I’ve always been thankful to mom for this moment. You see ~ all I can remember is my mother laughing, chatting and working with black people, in the very same way she did with our family or any white people for that matter. They were ONLY different, yet not different.

~ Enjoying our Differences ~

Move ahead to July of 1991. We’re returning from our six week east coast adventure. Having visited family in New England, Karen & I were relaxing by the pool with our two sons, near Disneyland Florida. Only twenty feet away was another family with two young daughters, about the age of our youngest. Enjoying the deep, heavy accent, I leaned over and asked, “Where are you from”? Without a skip, the father responded, “New York”! We both chuckled, and I said, “Before New York”? Again he chuckled, and said, with that distinct heavy accent, “Russia”! ~~ The ensuing three hours were met with more laughter, funny stories and a meal, where we introduced them to Mexican food. Which, they thought was a great idea, but might be tricky, in that as being Jewish, they could not have meat & diary in the same meal.

 The Soviet Union would collapse a few months later. This family had made it to America searching for a new start. Though its beginning was met with difficulty, the father said that he discovered that with hard work, he was now finding victory. Something that he never found in Russia. A leather workmen by trade, business was now such that they were able to enjoy this amazing vacation.

 

Now, some thirty-two years later, the memory is as real as yesterday. Why? Because we were curious. And that curiosity lead to learning ~~ to discovery ~~ to new friends.

That very same scenario has played out countless times throughout my life. And again I say, “Thank you mom”!!! You have given me, given all of your children such an amazing gift!

As Karen & I have concluded a three week motorcycle adventure to the Southwest United States, especially the National parks in southern Utah, we’ve been touched by the interaction with complete strangers. Strangers, who most often have a different, but cool accent. Or, perhaps it is I who have the cool accent. Just saying! Strangers who often look the same, yet … other times, most definitely different. Strangers, who but for a moment become friends. Friends from a different country ~~ a different culture ~~ and sometimes, a completely different appearance. But for that moment … FRIENDS! ~~ There were French, German, Swedes, and Bulgarians. There were British, Japanese, Indian, and African. Some from Canada, some from Mexico.  Others from Russia, and Korea. And, even some from the United States. Indeed! We had some things in common ~~ we were ALL traveling. Even some, as well on motorcycles. Also, we ALL have the same color of blood. But, it was our life’s journey, from different locations on of this most amazing planet, that added such an incredible dimension to our moment in time. 

So … to ask, “Where are you from”? I’m sorry, that is NOT a racist question! That is called curiosity. And I have discovered that curiosity has opened my eyes to the most amazing people from every part of this globe. Let’s not fear, rather ~~ let us be those who discover the beauty in the other. 

Gustave Doré - The Good Samaritan

Twice ~~ in the New Testament ~~ once as a parable & the other a story ~~ are about those 'other' people, called the Samaritans. They were different people, yet not so different. The parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’. All walked past the injured man. All, except the Samaritan! He treated the injured man as himself, or as his own blood. And the other ... a story ~~ a story of Jesus just striking up a conversation with a woman from Samaria. He treated the different as not so different. This encounter changed her life & perhaps the lives of countless others. So again I say … “Let us be those who discover the beauty in the other.” It might just change their world. And ours ~ at the same time :)