This Grand Masterpiece

Hi friends! Happy one year anniversary to us! It has been a whole year since we have begun this darling adventure together and it has been amazing! So thank you for being up for the adventure! It is SO good for you to be here and this place would definitely not be the same without you.

As the holidays quickly approach us, it sure has been busy up here. The month of November came and went like none other. Two trips to Winnipeg (with another on Sunday), work, helping friends move, eating fondue, hunting for a Christmas tree and making these fun Breathe Easier DIY Vapor Shower Disks (which I am absolutely thrilled to test out!).

Needless to say, the last few weeks have been filled to the brim, but if there is one common theme amongst it all, it would have to be this: people.

They are EVERYWHERE!

(It’s true)

But really, people are everywhere. They are in both the best and the not-so-best aspects of life. They make up many of our joys and many of our sorrows and even more of our in-betweens.

But if relationships are such an integral part of life, why does it seem sometimes that they are so incredibly difficult to navigate? Better yet, how can we so easily forget the golden rule of doing unto others what you would want them to do to you? The truth of the matter is that the majority of human beings want to be treated as such. We want to feel heard, to be respected and to know that our life really does matter. We want to work towards things we feel have meaning and to know at the end of the day that our life contributes to something larger than just ourselves.

Recently someone apologized to me because of my nationality. With the number of social and political conversations surrounding my homeland, this was no surprise and most of the others who were present for that conversation simply laughed and nodded in agreement. But for me, this flippant comment stung deeply. It was said for the purpose of humor, but I had to wonder if it was worth the denigration of my home and, well, me. I am not at all saying that I agree completely with the politics of my country. But it is the place I grew up. It is where my family lives and it has greatly shaped who I am today. To apologize to me because of where I am from was a slap in the face to much of what I hold near and dear.

Friends, with so many things that can easily divide us in this world, we must look towards those things that can bring us together. Sure, we may not agree on everything. We do not have to. You and I are from different places, have different backgrounds and/or hold different beliefs, but those differences in perspectives are beautiful. They are what adds flavor to relationships in the first place and there is definitely no need to apologize for that.

We must treat others with respect, not in some fluffy superficial way, but actually and concretely. Rather than looking for countless points of difference, let’s instead seek out the good in one another, encourage each other’s potential, and learn to really hear what others have to say. May we listen to one another’s stories, unassuming and unafraid, and  may we share one another’s vibrant and beautiful colors, realizing that each human being plays a specific part in this grand masterpiece of life.

Who is someone you are grateful for and why? Feel at home to comment below! 🙂