Who Are These People?

Walking around our local Renaissance Festival is always a treat. When you enter, you’re immediately transported back into a fantasy kingdom in 16th-century England.

There’s jousting, a pirate ship, the mermaid cove, face painting, musicians, ye-olde stores, and lots of yummy food. It’s easy to spend a whole day there.

What’s most fun for me is to see all the “characters” walking around. All these people have immersed themselves in a whole new persona.

And I wonder:

• Is that man with the helmet really a brute who might beat me up if I looked at him wrong?
• Is the Viking a tough guy who hunts for pleasure—or a good man who works hard to provide for his family?
• Is the lady with the talking parrot really a gentle soul who loves animals—or perhaps a kook?

Assumptions. That’s what they are. And we make them all the time about people we know and people we’ve never met.

Right now, our political system and media are focused on division. They have their reasons. Power and money are the driving forces. Not good!

Instead, we need to focus on our shared values. We need conversations, not judgment.

And, we need to come together to create the future we want to live in.

It really is possible!

P.S. I took these photos during our visit to the Renaissance Festival.