Recently, I watched a romantic movie called “Swept from the Sea.” It was about a group of people from the Ukraine who were headed to America on a boat. Unfortunately, a raging storm hit the seas and sunk the boat leaving only one man as a survivor. That man somehow swam to shore and found his way to a farmhouse. He was frightened and exhausted from his ordeal, looking like a mad man as he approached the kitchen window of the farmhouse where he peered into a woman’s beautiful, kind face. Unfortunately the mother also saw the man and went screaming to her husband that there was a “monster” at the window. Her husband picked up a weapon, headed out the door and proceeded to beat the man while the beautiful, young woman tried to stop him. She was ushered back to the kitchen to complete her chores but found him later that night in the barn and nursed his wounds and gave him bread. She was like an angel from heaven, giving him comfort after his traumatic ordeal at sea. The man experienced hatred and violence from the people of the town based on fear because he was different from them and didn’t speak the same language.

The movie took place in the year 1888 and I reflected that it’s a shame that we are still experiencing prejudice in our world today. In certain aspects things are much better. I am happy to live in California because I like the diversity that is present here as well as the acceptance of others for the most part. If all people would embrace the concept that we are all ONE and that what we do to another we do to ourselves, whether it’s love and kindness or hatred and anger.

I have been witnessing fear all around me lately, especially in those who chose to watch endless news programs that instill fear in people.

I grew up in Chicago where I witnessed much prejudice in my community and in my home. Somewhere deep inside of me I knew that this prejudice wasn’t fair or godly, realizing it was fear-based. My parents were concerned that the black population would purchase homes in our neighborhood and drive down the price of our home. That never happened but the fear was still there.

My wish for the world is that we embrace diversity in all it’s forms and raise our consciousness to love and help one another so that everyone would have enough food, clean water and warm shelter for themselves and their families.