Reflections from a Brother

It was about this time of day four years ago that I came home from school, made a turkey sandwich with provolone cheese, sat down on my couch, turned on the tv, and stared in absolute shock.

That turkey sandwich was never eaten… my appetite seemed to drift away very quickly.

I try to remember what I felt at that moment. The biggest question in my mind was not, “Who?” or “Why?”, but rather “What?” What was going on?

Then was the other question as "what" became answered: how? How are we going to respond to this as a nation? How will the world respond? How will I respond?

My life changed on that day, despite the fact I was hundreds of miles away from anywhere directly affected. As a senior in high school, my shell was broken. The world, quite instantly, became a much smaller place.

Reflections on my life since senior year really started while I was in the Bahamas this summer. I began widening my view of things and evolving into the person I am today. The one thing I will never forget is being stopped by an elderly man, probably in his late 60’s, who had Alzheimer’s. Mr. Mackenzie stopped me and another guy to tell us how, “We must learn to live with one another and love one another as God’s children.” He proceeded to tell us this many times, and I imagine he forgot he had already told us. But the thought stuck with me. Maybe it was good he kept repeating himself, as it’s the most important thing I learned while down there.

Four years ago today, thousands of people lost their lives, and the world was changed. Since then, there have been other tragedies across the globe. Wars have broken out. Peace, while spreading in popularity, doesn’t seem to be much of an option.

Also in the past four years, we’ve seen great tragedies that have not been the result of hate or war. Children starving. Entire villages, towns, and cities being wiped off the map from powerful winds and raging seas.

New Orleans and Sumatra aren’t much different. They may speak different languages, they may have different foods (although both like their coffee strong), but they’re both home to struggling people. They’re both home to people. Our brothers and sisters.

America and Iraq aren’t much different either. Both are struggling people. We’re struggling to see past black and white. They’re struggling to see past what church building they walk into. We’ve found the best way to get our word out is to stage dramatic demonstrations. They’ve found the best way to get their word out is to rebel. Both are home to people struggling with their differences. They’re both home to people. We’re both brothers and sisters.

How can we learn to all live in this world together as God’s children? Mr. Mackenzie, even though he’s from a very poor village and may not have all of his teeth or a formal education, hit the nail smack on the head. God gave us this big huge earth, and with it getting smaller every day, we’ve got to learn to live with one another and love one another. If we don’t, we may not have a world to live together on.

Whether you’re Christian or Muslim or Jew, whether you’re black or white or yellow, whether you’re rich or poor or somewhere in between, you are my brother or sister. I am yours. Now let’s start living like it.

Some thoughts and reflections from a brother seeking truth,
gcm

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