A World Where We Understand That We Are All Equal Is A World In Which There Is Peace

We are sitting on the plane—in our magazines or phones waiting to take off.

A voice suddenly comes on overhead, “One of our airline employees is having a family emergency. We are actively trying to find a replacement but at this time require you to de-board the plane until further notice.”

A few hundred souls let out an exasperated sigh. Ripples of complaints and dramatics ebb and flow between the seats of the United flight heading to Houston.

We can’t even hear the announcement there is so much complaining.

I am horrified.

Are we that self involved?

Are we that into ourselves as individuals that we cannot honour that maybe someone’s father just had a heart attack?

What if someone’s mother just got in a car accident?

What if someone’s son just died?

Are we too selfish and near sighted in our me-me-me to hold space for this soul?

Who the fuck cares where we are going?

Shame on you.

Collectively it is our duty to love and hold and nurture each other.

I want to smack some empathy, compassion and sense over the heads of all of these humans—swiftly.

How dare you.

How dare you stop the flight attendants and glare at the pilots who may be in grief, who may be processing one of their own leaving this earth.

Do better. Care more.

Get over your agenda, your importance, your self and hold space for each other.

I pass the flight attendant at the front of the plane, he has a solemn face—as if he’s just likely received the childish annoyance of hundreds of humans on their way out.

I stop and lower my voice and say gently, “I hope that they are okay.”

He gets soft and stops and says, “Thank you” with the force of gratitude to be seen and understood.

May we learn as a human race each day that there are times that ask that we step over ourselves and hold space for one another.

May we learn constantly that we are all equally important and that a world where we understand that is a world in which there is peace.