
“I hate those signs!”
“Really, why?”
“This is America, signs should be in English.”
At first I thought, “What a strange response!”, because I read the billboard and got, “Someday is today”; clearly, she didn’t receive the same message.
The only real difference is that I know some Spanish, so I understood its meaning, and formed my opinion from that perspective. She decided to hate what she didn’t understand, rather than wonder.
I sometimes run into this as a Healer. I’ve been called a witchdoctor, snake oil lady, and hippie-oil-chick…but only by those who have never experienced what I do. I just smile and give them a taste. Once they have felt it, they “understand Spanish” and their attitude changes.
What if, instead of turning our ignorance into contempt, we were to turn it into curiosity? You can Google everything under the sun (including the sun), so what is the resistance?
Pride? Ego? Bigotry? Or, is it just simply easier to stay apathetic?
Whether it’s a person, race, group, system, or even a silly billboard, the beauty is that we always have the choice to be inquisitive about it.
Discovery Question: What do you hate? If “hate” is too strong a word, what are you really annoyed by? Now, spend 3 minutes opening your heart and really getting curious about it. Notice what you learn, how much more you can learn, and what part compassion plays.