Crooked Dish

My parents have been rewriting their will.  As my mother went through the china cabinet, explaining the history of the items in it, she pointed out a candy dish that had belonged to her grandfather.  It was not particularly beautiful or valuable.  My great-grandfather had chosen to hold onto it because it sat crooked on its base.  To him, it was unique.

While the dish does not match my personal taste or style, I felt a connection to my great-grandfather through that dish.  I too have bought items that were crooked, misshaped or flawed because I considered them to be unique.  And as I reflected on it, it occurred to me, do we inherit our love for diversity?  Do some of us gravitate towards uniqueness and differentness, while others gravitate towards conformity and sameness?

If so, this would have huge consequences on our ability to embrace a multicultural world.

It did not take me long to figure out that this did not have to be the death knell to a global multicultural perspective.  The inspiration for this came from my friends.

Some of my friends are adventurers.  They try new things, seek out new ideas, hunt down that which is unique, and get excited by things that are different.  You will find them at multicultural festivals, ethnic restaurants, and back-packing across Siberia.  These friends celebrate the diversity of humanity.

Some of my friends are community cornerstones.  They appreciate social norms, participate regularly in social rituals, take comfort in predictability, and are dedicated to community and family.  You will find them at pot-lucks, family reunions, and helping out at homeless shelters.  These friends have compassion towards our oneness of humanity.

For a healthy, happy planet, I think we need both.  We need to celebrate our diversity and have compassion for our oneness.  Even if it turns out we may be genetically inclined one way or the other, there is still something special we can learn from one another.