Culture and values

I've always been fascinated and curious about similiarities and differences among various cultures. What I find even more interesting is similarities in individual values between two different cultures. I got to thinking about this yesterday after a long and interesting conversation I had with someone I didn't know well. Even though we are from two different areas of the world, we seem more similar than we are different. In fact, I have felt this way from a very young age. Various close friendships I've had throughout the years have been with people from different cultural backgrounds. People may at first glance (upon seeing myself and the other person standing side by side) perceive me and the other person to be very different by superficial standards, but they couldn't be more wrong. We may look different physically (short vs. tall, thin vs. fat, American vs. from another country or ethnic background, the way we dress) and talk in different languages, but it is what comes from the sharing of thoughts, feelings and actions that matter.

And whether it's someone who doesn't have much in common with me or can practically complete my sentences? Let's learn from each other instead of looking up or down to one another. It allows much more freedom, kindness and the awareness that ultimately, as humans...we're still all in the same boat: life.