Yesterday, I wrote about a culture that I couldn't stand. I'm sure by the end of the post it became clear that I wasn't talking about a nationality...but rather, the culture of superiority. There is nothing quite as offensive as a human being that puts him/herself as higher than another human being. It's divisive, hateful, prideful, caustic, degrading, and downright evil. It is the beginning of every war, and the continuation of every abuse.

Before you begin to think, "Well, that's not me! I can't possibly be lumped in with this culture of superiority" - I'd like to challenge you a little.

I'd like you to ask where you are different, and then shake you a bit with this... "Do you think that makes you BETTER?" If you answer yes, pause and consider if it's possible that you might have a touch of superiority that needs shaving away. If you answer no ..lol, pause and consider that you might have to look a bit deeper.

When I was a little girl, I didn't know I was different. Everywhere I looked, different was in my household, so my different was the norm; "different" was standard and therefore..same.

But at some point, I realized - I was not the same as my friends. They actually seemed "same", and I was different. But, that was ok, because different was still equal, wasn't it?

I looked at their skin color and to me ..it seemed same enough. Light skin, light hair, light eyes. This was so different than my different skin, different hair, different eyes. Surely, they looked at each other and saw same? Felt equal? Had peace?

And then ... more realization hit.

When they spoke, they differentiated further than skin color- hair color- eye color. They broke into nationalities and languages and customs and gender and faith and politics and economics - and even though they looked same to me, they claimed one was better and one was worse.

It became incredibly clear.

There were levels, there was inequality, and somewhere in the mix- I myself was much lower on the totem pole. I didn't challenge my superiority; there were too many of them. I was clearly in the wrong and inferior, because I was the minority. I was the lesser. I was the different.

How do you define yourself?

Think of all the things that make you who you are. Go beyond your reflection in the mirror. Because as I just stated, people can look similar on the surface, and even have the same customs, country, and culture and still have a lot of other deeper differences that make them "better than".

I actually hope that the comment section doesn't become a place for people to start waving around their differences. We know we have them, it's really not necessary to acknowledge them publicly. It's much harder to acknowledge the same. So...let's try the harder approach. Let's acknowledge and evaluate our own differences internally, and consider them privately... but find ways to connect with the same that is deeper down in each person we meet each day. The same that you see when two babies play beautifully together before the world informs them of its "rules".

But babies grow, selfishness sets in, and "me first" mentality begins to thrive. Baby's first words are usually the cultural derivatives of "dada, mama, and MINE." This is one of our sames. I wonder what the world would be if we changed that same to "Here, it's yours."

What a game-changer that would be. It equalizes everything. Put the other first. The end.

Humility. Grace. Wisdom. Love. Joy.

If I try to just be a "good person" I know my rotten will show up for the party instead. So I'm instead going to try to let those five above lead my heart. Spoiler alert: I'm going to fail miserably. Still, my goal is to cling to them, fresh and new every day. For those who would like to join in, I truly believe we will be in the best place to speak peace if we adopt this mindset, heartset and soulset.

The big secret.

Know what I've noticed? There are a lot of hurting people here on Hive. Yes- in the world, but specifically on Hive. We are a mess. I think that is actually part of the draw, the reason it resonates. In a world that is becoming deaf and blind, we have discovered a place to be heard and seen. Your mess finds my mess, connects and sings. Beyond borders and boundaries, we link on a much deeper level. A lot of people are tired of feeling invisible and dismissable, and the angriest here are usually the ones hurting the most. When you see them lashing, and you WILL see them, maybe consider these two options: walk away for a bit in peace or speak gently.

A warning...

Humility as a weapon.

Oh yes it can be used as a weapon. When you start to become "so good at being humble" that you want to wield it against others and passive aggressively "guide and teach" others how to be humble like you - it's actually exactly the opposite of humility and becomes a weapon. Try....try your best to resist this. If you feel it tugging you, just pause, breathe, rest, and come back to that person when you're actually BACK into that peaceful soulset. (For me, this is where I pray! lol)

Guard your hearts and minds moving forward, because I do think that something special can be here for all of us. We already showed we could #leadwithgenerosity with @unklebonehead, we had a #LOVElution with @ecency, and now I think we are primed to flow into the opportunity to #speekpeece. Fun tags, for sure! And I love me some fun!!! lol But maybe they can be more than that. Maybe they can be our true soulset?

So what's the community!

Two months ago, it just so happens that this particular community (that I will announce very soon . lol don't worry... its coming) asked for DreemPort to collaborate. We always give the next month available - and that was October It's very interesting to see the timing! And how perfectly everything continued to work out. I'm super excited to reveal this community.... but not today. Soon. Until then, have fun being a pirate hunting for treasure! Be silly. Giggle. Spread joy.