How Different Are You Really?

This Week's Simple Tip: Once in blue moon you see a movie that has a huge impact on you. That was what "Same Kind of Different As Me" did this weekend to me! Based on a true story and NYT bestselling book, the story is a powerful reminder that no matter how deep differences may be between us, just a bit of compassion may help us to see others' dignity. I don't know how many times my mother reminded us that "you can't judge a book by its cover!"

The film is about an unlikely friendship that evolves between three people, one a homeless man who in a powerful line reflects: I found out everybody’s different – the same kind of different as me. We’re all just regular folks walking down the road God set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we are rich or poor or something in between, this earth is not a final resting place. So in a way, we are all homeless – just working our way toward home. This struck me on multiple levels, but especially having just read that some recent research shows that as a nation, we are even lonelier this year than we were two years ago! In 2018, 54% identified themselves as lonely, now that number is 61%. That's a lot of people who could use supportive relationships and fulfilling interactions. We are all the same kind of different. Reach out to someone who looks lonely and make a difference!

This Week's Focus:

This week, make the time to say hello and exchange a few words to someone you see who looks like they could use someone to talk to. You don't have to look far. There is no need to be nervous about it because underneath it all, we are all the same kind of different.