Friends Of A Different Color

March 20th, 2024

Scott

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TheDiscipleMD

Frozen in my 1963 first grade school class picture is the innocence of kids who see each other only as classmates. A time when we were friends of different colors and backgrounds. My best friend at the time was Marvin. He was black and I was white. But all I recall is that I didn’t think of him as anything other than a cool kid who at one time took the rap for me when I did something wrong in class. I don’t recall why he did so, or why I let him do so. Or what I did wrong. What I do remember is that I liked him and to this day I have fond feelings when I look at this photo.

Two years later, another elementary school was build close to my home to which I was transferred, and I lost track of Marvin. I hope he is still alive and doing well. Over my lifetime I have had friends from various background of religion, culture, and ethnicity. And in the end I have always found that I liked them according to their standards, personalities and moral character, not the color of their skin or the God they worshipped! Perhaps I am naive, but I think I am not unusual in my feelings. I love learning about other cultures and enjoy associating with those who can educate and teach me different ways of life. I always come away from those relationships a better human for developing those friendships. I may not always understand and share the views of others, but I always come away wiser and more tolerant of others.

Sometimes I think the intolerance for each other’s differences is magnified by some who are profiteers of hate, and we are left thinking, as I often am; “I don’t feel that way,” when the brush is broad and the paint is wide! It is a big world and there is plenty of room for friends of a different color and diversity of backgrounds. We can co-exit without being the same! We can share this world without it being laced with enmity. And friends of a different color can rejoice in the good that each of us brings to the circle of life. (Marvin and I are next to each other at the end of the middle row)

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ROOTS OF INSPIRATION

In 2007 I began writing a daily inspirational thought to my children, now grown, with the intent to draw them closer to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. The influence of the gospel of Jesus Christ is found in all aspects of our lives. The Savior was a great teacher because he taught parables that resonated with the common man. He could relate simple stories that could be understood by all. I have found the more simple the story, the more profound the message.All of our testimonies can have a powerful impact for good for centuries if we take the time to write them down. After all, the scriptures are simply the inspired thoughts and interaction of men with deity that have been written down for all to read. There is no reason that our influence for good has to go with us to the grave. I have hopes, as did Jacob whose final words were, “…to the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may read my words. Brethren, adieu”