Strange Thoughts

Somewhere

Out there

Is a stranger yet unknown to you.

Her care

You share

To preserve traditions strong and true,

But the songs hers strum

Are somewhat different from

The ones you’ve known and heard your whole life through.

Yet the beats upon her drum

From the streets her feet have walked have come

To present another, also valid view.

So, consider,

If you meet her,

That her thoughts, which seem to you askew,

Can offer something worth enshrining, too.

 

This poem came out of thinking about the many divisions within our world, and, from my perspective, the value of trying to be open to the viewpoints and experiences of those who are different from us - those who come from different places or have lived very different lives. We each come with our own understanding based on our lived experiences and the things we've been taught through the traditions of our family, friends, region, or country. But I think it's important to remember that others, who may have very different ideas, also have strong reasons for thinking the way they do. Perhaps it's something worth remembering when we consider people's words, ideas, and views that may seem strange or unfamiliar to us.