Writing to fellow clergy from a Birmingham Jail (The Negro Is Your Brother), Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – gravely concerned about all who were poor and experiencing inequality – said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Traveling across the country as well as abroad allows one to take in a variety of opinions and perspectives. Understanding different attitudes and points of view can help navigate the awkwardness of sensitive topics that I was curious to discuss. As I traveled through various parts of Italy and Greece recently, I had the opportunity to share my thoughts about forgiveness, humanity, hope, peace, love and happiness to a variety of people and what I found is that all of us have the same basic concerns. One of those concerns pertains to the direction the world and mankind is headed in today’s political and global climate, but overall people still believe in humanity and that goodness will prevail.