Why Love has NO Labels- Diversity & Inclusion
It is safe to say that TODAY we live in a different word, where some feel that it is fine to utter their hate for anything that is different that what they perceive is normal to them regardless of what the others feel about it
Hatred have been taking front seats, where it is not only articulated but also combined with violence and killing of innocent lives
I have been deeply moved by what has been happening lately: The Manchester bombing, the bombings in Paris and Germany, the suicide bombing in the Middle East, The San Bernardino killings, The Orlando Shooting in a Gay nightclub, it is a very long list that it can take this whole page.
Our country divided by political, ethnic, gun related issues. Not one hour passes without seeing a heated discussion on social media between yay and nay people, each one blasting the other just because they think or believe differently
It doesn’t take any effort to love the people that are just like us, that talk, think, act or dress like us, people that have the same values and beliefs as we do. What about the people that are DIFFERENT than we are, people we do not agree with, whom we consider making wrong poor choices (basically judging them), it becomes very easy to put them in a box and lock them and say “THEY” are not like "US"; so I will keep my distance
You are excluding people that are different than you, your world becomes very small, boring and not challenging to do your best, or to become your best, you fall in “Status Quo”
You write off people off just because they are different, because they are not meeting your “Standards”, you do not agree with their life style, their doctrines, values, beliefs, principles or friends that have chosen
I have one question for you: Who are you to judge anyone? Who died and made you God? Your standards: What standards, in which book? To who?
We feel sometimes that we need to convict people that are different than we are, we want to tell them all the things they are doing wrong- (My question is wrong in whose book?). You might be wrong in their opinion
We need to realize that every person is on their own journey where they are right now might or might not end up where they are going, they are still working on themselves like you are working on yourself (hopefully).
We often write off people based on what they believe, on what they do – what if you were a seed to be planted in their life and their heart to make a difference to them
As human beings we are tempted to be critical and quick at judging others, the truth is we do not know what anyone have gone through in their lives, we haven’t walked a step in their shoes, we haven’t been raised in their homes, with their families, in the circumstances they grew up in, we haven’t fought the battles they did so how can we even start having an opinion before getting to know them?
Stop being judgmental, stop being self-righteous, you or someone you love can be judged by someone else and will be in the same spot anytime
We need to start spreading “Unconditional love”, love will always win, no matter how difficult it gets, no matter how long it takes, love is the light that breaks the darkness of hate. We can’t fight fire with fire we will just burn the whole world. Remember Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela and what they taught us.
People may not respond to love right away, it might seem that it is not doing any good, or difficult to execute and do. It starts with each one of us, if individually we start with a word of love, a feeling of love, a sentiment of love then there is hope, there is hope that the hardened hearts might soften, we have tried hate what did we get; so why not try love?
We are not here to judge people, we do not need to change them or straighten them up. When we are merciful, kind, understanding, accepting we can start healing from all this hate, accepting differences does not mean that we agree with it just means that we acknowledge that there are differences and it is OK!
We need to start sharing what we are for, and not what we are against. We need to start with the positive not the negative. On our tombstone, will be written what we were and not what we were not.
We can’t condition love only for those who agree with us, we can’t accept only those that fit in our little boxes
I am going to love you Gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, Black or white, rich or poor, old or young, male or female, able or disable, educated or not, no matter how you look, no matter what religion you believe in or if you do not believe in any religion, no matter where you come from
Do not shut people off, we are all human beings that fundamentally share the same principles: As wanting security for our families, we want to be loved and love, we want to belong, we want to be part of something bigger, to have enough to give our children a good life.
We can’t have a small circle just to keep in the people that fit what we believe and value we should rather draw a bigger circle to draw them in, to include them instead of excluding them
You are different to someone else, so who decides who is right and who is wrong? No one is right, no one is wrong, and no one is perfect. We all believe we are the best, the ones that are right.
Our love should be bigger than our sexual differences, our colors, our political views, our religions. I do not have to see eye to eye with you to love you.
I am not naive and I am not delusional, I am not singing a Kumbaya song either.
The solution is inside each one of us, it starts with us, with you, with me, with him and with her. Be the reason, be the tool that will reach out across the board, be the hand that plants the seed of kindness in others’ hearts, you do not need to tell anyone what they are doing wrong or why they are wrong, be that helping, accepting hand.
Remember one time when someone helped you, when someone gave you a hand, when someone was kind, when someone accepted you despite of your weakness or your mistake, when someone forgave you and JUST return the favor
Get to know the people, know their stories there is usually a reason why they are the way they are. Most of the time we judge what we do not understand as our blind spots that could be caused by our culture, our parents or the environment we grew up in, break the cycle you can do it. You just need to decide to bring in change in you before you see a change in the world
The attitude in your heart is what matters, do not judge you do not like to be judged, you do not need to agree with someone to love them.
Love heals, love brings down barriers. Love always wins #Loveconquershate - it starts with you
What are you doing today to start that change in the word? It all starts with a simple decision to change, and to love and accept
I know that some people will disagree with me, won’t like my piece, to those I accept you, and our differences, let us at least start a dialog instead of barking at each other.
Spread LOVE NOT HATE!
Diversity starts at home,
Diversity starts at home,
What do you think? Let me hear what you have to say with respect-
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Sahar Andrade, MB.BCh
Diversity, Inclusion, and Leadership Consultant- Certified Social Media Strategist
Reinvent Yourself To Greatness (Product of Sahar Consulting, LLC)
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