The radio in our kitchen plays beautiful music, when you turn it off.  It took a minute to understand that it wasn’t broken, just different.  If the light is shining on the small screen, that means it is off. I suppose in the time it took us to figure out this unique quality of our radio, we could have just thrown it away, bought a new one. But it was not disposable. It was a gift from someone we love, and it deserved our attention. Each morning, I put the coffee on the stove, plate the croissants, and turn off the radio. We begin, weird and wonderful, and filled with music.

If each radio is wired differently, just imagine us humans. We learn, live and love in so many diverse and sometimes challenging ways. We respond so differently. But we are not disposable. We can’t just throw people away. We need to take the time to understand what others are hearing, saying, living. With this understanding, this empathy — not sympathy — (I don’t feel sorry for my radio – I think it’s cool!) — we can truly love, and be loved.  And what glorious music that is!  Listen.