Sometimes we just need to listen. When we see each other’s humanity, we stop hating what we don’t understand. We tell our stories from our own personal experiences. Each person’s story is important, because they are our truths. When we realize that a person is speaking based on their own personal truths, we understand that we didn’t live their experiences, so we may not have the same truths. It doesn’t make one more or less real than the other person’s truths. Our truths are all perspectives. We make them our reality by believing them. We can’t help others if we first don’t listen to the truths that they are believing about themselves and about others.

When we look deeper, we see beyond the categories and labels. We see the pain, joy, sadness, trauma, happiness, fear, and love within each other.

When we connect there, we unite.

We become vulnerable as the storytellers and as the listeners. We start healing, growing, and expanding. We see that each of us have the ability to change perspectives of truth, beliefs, and thoughts that are no longer working for the life we want for OURSELVES. We can’t change anyone else. We can make choices that will help us live better with ourselves and others. It’s all in how we decide to write and tell our stories.

Successful memoir writers and biographers are masterful at bringing us on a journey of connecting through story. Think of all the stories that have helped you connect to yourself and others. Right now there are so many people offering their stories on Facebook Lives amongst other venues.

I’ve learned so much about where individuals are and how they feel. I sometimes have to look past their rage, because that is the symptom of the pain that is so much deeper. Rage surfaces from unhealed parts of us that become triggered by circumstances, events, others, and even our own self-abuse. I can clearly see if a person’s perspective is from a loving place or a fear-based place. They project whichever one they are living from even when the words are not matching up with the energy they are projecting out.

We don’t have to agree with other people’s actions or views, but if we want UNITY, we have to first see the humanity in each other. Back in 6th century B.C., Greek storyteller Aesop said “United we stand, divided we fall.” We’ve seen and heard these words uttered over and over across categories, titles, genres, and venues. If we want to unite, we can’t just want to see things from our point of view and expect the the rest of the world to fall into place. Unity is in our humanity. It is the ONLY part of us that will experience the same things despite our differences. In our humanity we feel love, fear, joy, hurt, happiness, sadness, encouragement, disappointment, etc. No person’s money, religion, country, politics, race, gender, or sexual preference matter if we connect through what makes us human…LISTEN!

There are so many layers to this. This is just a small piece of a very big UNITED puzzle. But without seeing each other’s humanity, we won’t complete the puzzle. There will continue to be a missing a piece. We will never ALL believe and see the world the same way, so if you depend on that for unity, you will only ever find it in small groups which will keep you divided.

The beauty I’ve found living from a loving place is that I don’t have to agree with people’s beliefs on ANY subject and still see their value. The lessons I’ve learned from other people’s cruelty don’t strip me from seeing their humanity. I see the mentally unhealthy person, and know that it’s not safe or healthy for me to be around them, but I still learn from their story about the dangers of living life through the perspectives of truth that they believe. I see how miserable their perspectives have made them and how it’s hurt their relationships with others. Seeing that person’s humanity helps me to see my own darkness and work on shining light in areas that can easily turn dark if they go unchecked.

If I’m triggered with fear, anger, rage, or hate, I see what parts of me I need to spend time with to heal, so that I don’t project my darkness out to the world and hurt someone else. I don’t ALWAYS do this perfectly, because that is not what the human experience is about. The human experience is about learning. How can I learn if I’m not willing to listen? So, even in my differences with others who want to live from a fear-based place, I still can find a place to unite, grow, and learn. I cannot unite the world, but I can feel united with the world, and I do.

We have arrived at a point in time where we have the ability to listen to people’s stories first hand from all different corners of the world. We have the ability to learn about people’s truths that our different than ours while being safe in our own homes.

If you are looking to try to learn from truths that are different than yours, I suggested doing a meditation first. This helps me to really try to listen to the person’s story and learn from it. I pay close attention to the feelings that are running through me as I listen and see where my thoughts go. I find feelings I’m united in even if they are coming from different perspectives. I listen to hear if their perspective is coming from love or fear. I LOVE when I find people’s stories who are coming from a different way of seeing the world from a loving perspective. Those stories make my soul sing and my heart soar. The love within me expands so much more when I find voices united from loving perspectives. I don’t know if this will be true for you, but when I hear people speaking from fear-based perspectives, I feel so incredibly grateful that I learned a different way of living. Listening to them reminds me of where I once was and how much I’ve grown. Seeing their humanity strengthens my conviction on the way I’ve CHOSEN to live.

I know I need the reminder that unity is in our humanity, because sometimes it’s easy getting stuck in the chaos of what is keeping us divided. When I’m there, it hurts. I feel anxious, disconnected, confused, angry, and sometimes even vengeful if all of that goes unchecked. I know what I need to do to bring me back to peace, and writing these words right now is a part of that process. Thank you for being a part of my journey.

With Love, Compassion, and Gratitude,

©Rachael Wolff 2020
Author of Letters from A Better Me
Available in audiobook, audio CD, ebook, and paperback
FromALovingPlace.com/book