By Perry Gladstone
As the Costa Ballena grows, it attracts people from all walks of life, each of us with his or her own ideas and beliefs of how things work. This is both an opportunity and an obstacle as we strive to build a life we are happy with.
The opportunity is to learn from each other: to learn different ways of doing things; to learn about the land and its many creatures; and, most importantly, to learn different ways of thinking about how we live together. The obstacle is that we are not always open to this.
Ultimately, the difference between each other’s idea of right and wrong is the distance or gap between each other’s beliefs about life and our place in it. Too often we think our version of the story is the only right one. As a result, we
fall into that gap, creating tension and other problems.
If we open ourselves to other interpretations – one can respect another way without having to accept it as his own – we narrow this gap, which allows us to create the healthy, supportive community we all desire.
The next time you meet someone take the time to ask about his or her story and try to imagine how their version is just as real to them as yours is to you.
We’re growing, so let´s grow together.
