UPENDED

I’m sitting here on this mournful morning thinking about what to write to you. With all that’s going on in the world, the usual subjects, treated the usual way, just don’t seem adequate or appropriate to the day or mood.

With your indulgence, I’m going to try to work through how I feel in the hopes that it can help you with whatever you’re dealing with at the moment.

Yesterday, I came across an article about diversity—how it’s as important to our diets as it is to our society. Pure homogeneity is unhealthy. We need a mix of foods, ingredients and color to fuel our bodies and feel our best.

Equally, when our body politic is nourished with diversity—ethnic, gender, age, experience—we’re better off for it. Communities are stronger when everyone is given every opportunity to succeed and contribute, when differences are seen and valued, not stifled or condemned. We’re not playing the identity politics card here. When we do this, we are living our national truth: out of many, one.

Charlottesville and Barcelona have shown us yet again how hate and intolerance—like the most toxic of junk foods—poison the soul. To bring about greater diversity and lovingkindness requires us to be our bravest, most honorable {selves}.

As always, I value your thoughts. Please share your comments below.