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It was one of those awkward moments, you go for a handshake, he goes for a fist bump, you quickly change your open hand into a fist as he switches to a handshake and palms your fist. Maybe if we just say ‘palm my fist’ from now on things will be a little less awkward… Ok, sounds weird, maybe not.
The ‘palmer’ was Saleem. It was his first time at the gym and he was going to be my workout buddy. A twenty something olive skinned man bubbling with nervous energy. My first thought when presented with the name and appearance of the person before me was that he was likely a Muslim, stereotyping I know, but hey. Most people would call me a Christian.
Thank God, or as his preference may be, Allah, he didn’t go for the Ardern elbow bump! We laughed and went with a double handed handshake to cover the awkward moment and we got on with the workout together. In that moment I was struck with the realisation that his spiritual ancestors and mine have been warring for millennia, yet in this day and age, if we are willing, we can let bygones be bygones, we can let the old wounds and battle lines go.
As I look around the world, a spectator to the chaos, misinformation, and media-driven narrative, one thing becomes very clear. Division appears to be the ultimate goal. ‘A House divided cannot stand’ they say.
I found hope in this uncomfortable moment. The future lies in unity amongst us, ‘The people’. I hesitate to use the term ‘working class’ because some may relate to that and others will not, but let us call ourselves ‘the people’. Humans whose goal in life is to be warm, fed and relatively happy and to provide the same for those we love.
The majority of us are not seeking to be uber-wealthy or to spout rhetoric from a political platform, we’re just seeking to get by and enjoy life. Whether you’re a liberal or a conservative, whether you’re a Muslim or Jew, I believe ultimately we, “The People” in this working class, are good people.
If we can stop looking for conflicting ideals where we might divide and begin to cast aspersions on anyone slightly different, we can unite across racial, moral or ideological boundaries. And in that unity we can become powerful, we can change this world for good, for good!
Take a look at the nervous man standing across the rubber mat and know that he, like you is doing his best to get by, support the ones he loves and perhaps even enjoy life for a while.
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