In yesterday’s post, I spoke about the feelings of inferiority and superiority in relationships. This got me to thinking about differences and why we often struggle with them; often, sadly, to the point of hatred.
We are pack oriented by nature; it is part of our survival brain and left over from the days when we had to fend for ourselves on the plains. As a matter of survival, we needed our tribe to increase our ability to defend ourselves and be protected from danger.
We can see pack oriented behaviour in any school yard; children deemed as different in any way tend to be teased more, they have an increased chance of being ostracized, and can be bullied for their vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, we only have to look at the news these days to see many examples of this in the adult world too; in many ways, society is still leaning into the fear of differences.
But aren’t differences what also make us unique? Perhaps it is our job to lean into the differences, to be curious before placing judgement, to be open to the experience of another person. Ultimately, it can only lead us to a better place; one governed not by fear, but by compassion.
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