The world today encourages us to be independent, open-minded, and look for wealth or exposure as a way to happiness.   Along the way, we’ve stopping loving or caring about our fellow man. In fact, we often don’t take the time to get to know our neighbor let alone our fellow man.

Our world has grown quick to hurl judgments and criticisms rather than a helping hand or just a listening, understanding ear.  Sometimes it feels like there is little regard for humanity anymore.  Stereotypes seem to be the new rule with dire consequences.  Reading or viewing the news shows us that.

What I feel we fail to realize is that everyone on this earth is a human being – needs air to breath, food and water to eat/drink, and has blood coursing through veins.  But somehow we get caught up in the things that create division  like race, gender, socioeconomic status and so forth.  I can’t help but feel that these are the things that feed fears, assumptions and judgments, and cause a lack of love and compassion for one another.

Awhile ago, I wrote about a childhood experience where I had my first taste of racism. Unfortunately it wasn’t the last.  Throughout my elementary and high school years, I often had to prove myself academically, by talent, and just because.  No matter how well I excelled, I faced those that just couldn’t get past skin.  And even in my adult years, I encountered situations where gender was an issue.  Women were often hired for certain roles meeting glass ceilings regardless of education or experience.

Going through these types of things could cause anyone to have a tainted view – judging a group of people by the actions of a few.  But what does that solve?  Who does it help?

We may have differences (i.e. our appearance, environments, and upbringings), but there are similarities too.  Like health crises, financial woes, desires for love and happiness, life frustrations, and everything in between.  Maybe if we took the time to get to know those around us, we’d see that we’re not that different after all.

So here’s the challenge. I encourage everyone that reads this post to look within for your “isms” that may fuel judgments or negative criticisms of others.  Put yourself in the shoes of those to see how it may feel to hear or be treated in a certain manner.  The goal of this is to open eyes to be more considerate and compassion towards others – to help this world be a better, more positive place for everyone.