More Oman dreams and other things

One of the family (can't remember who) took this snap last year on a visit to Oman. We were WAY up in the mountains when we came across this mummy and her baby. They were very sweet to watch (from a distance of course). Am I ready to get out into the countryside? For certain!

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/18/holder.race.relations/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

I found the news story above from CNN to be very interesting. This is a very hard conversation to have (for many people in many different places). But, I think the conversation needs to not be only about 'race,' but how we react to anyone who is different than what we perceive as the norm (or as 'different'). Living outside of my home country, I realized how truly narrow my view of what being a citizen of my home country meant to me. I have met many people who are citizens of and love 'the home country' the same way that I do. They are just as much a part of the home country as anyone else from the home country. But, when I first met some of these folks, I incorrectly assumed that they were not from my/our home country. I was personally horrified at how I made some very incorrect assumptions. I now know better, or so I hope.

So, as part of the conversation on dealing with glorious beautiful diversity, we all must look within ourselves. We need to look within ourselves and think about how we treat all our fellow human beings. Is that how I would want to be treated? Why do I react the way that I do when I first encounter someone who's 'different'? Before we can fully converse with others, we must first have a very deep conversation with ourselves.