Every Person, A Universe

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The power of curiosity to transform our relationships and build Jewish unity.

There's a grain of truth in this clip! It also got me thinking.

Doesn’t this apply, in a way, to everyone in our lives?
Even with those we know well, isn't there so much we don’t understand about them?
Isn't there an empty book on our shelf carrying their name too?

Each person is a universe:
A breathtaking, perplexing weave of drives, dreams, values and gifts.
Thoughts, feelings and experiences – past and present.
An inner child; a yearning soul, circumstances, choices.
Shaping who we are and how we act.

Yet – we often find ourselves looking at people through a flat lens.
Through binary beliefs that use everything we see to prove ourselves right.
Our mind does a great job of making things graspable by filling in gaps.
But it also can leave us with a narrow story, even about those closest to us.

"That's just who he is, don’t you see?”
"Don't bother trying, she's always been that way!"
"He can't fool me, I know the real him",
"So predictable..."

How do we step out of this constriction? How do we dissolve the barriers that keep us apart and self-focused, and truly meet – maybe for the first time – the people around us?

We can invite more Curiosity into our relationships. We can start to question some of the labels that got unfairly stuck onto others. Have a little fun as we start to poke holes in those puffed-up, infallible beliefs.

We can learn the skill of 'not knowing' a person, instead of assuming we know all there is to know about them.

This takes work to develop – and a good dose of humility. But it starts with trying out a fresh mindset.

Choosing to open our eyes and widen our hearts.

Lay aside the filters created by judgment, fear and ego – even temporarily.
Caring to learn something new, instead of the same old.
Yes, even something that challenges our well-trodden preconceptions.

Our goal is to sense more of the person. See deeper.
To search for clues that go against what we normally perceive.
Look for glimmers of goodness and strength; try to understand struggles.
So we can hear a new story being told.

By inviting Curiosity into our lives – along with its companions Compassion and Respect, we uplift our interpersonal relationships.

And in the process a profound Oneness between us is uncovered.
As we connect more deeply, we become closer as a Nation.

A truer story of others – and ourselves – starts to unfold.

We can all join this quiet ‘unity revolution’. Here's one simple step forward. Just ask yourself:

What new understanding of someone in my life can I gain today?

 

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