Diversity. Many have different definitions for the word, but it really is just an art of coming together despite having differences. There is beauty in being diverse and there is also strength. As a matter of fact, Stephen R Covey once said “Strength lies in differences, not in similarities”.
Living in a diverse community builds character. It creates a new culture, one that is created for everyone and suitable for every ethnicity. It is as if we have created a beautiful mosaic with different colors by using different people, different beliefs and different hopes and dreams.
Within Malaysia society, there is multiple cultures. A Malay culture, a Chinese culture, an Indian culture and not to forget the indigenous group of the peninsula and north Borneo. This shows how diverse our beloved country is and how rich it is with different lifestyles and yet we manage to stay as one, making us true Malaysians. As Thomas berry said, “The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection”. In addition, a lot of flowers make a bouquet.
As a community we come in multiple shades of colour, some are brown and some are white. We also have different shapes, sizes and bloodlines but in a way, we are one. We are humans after all and yes we are different physically and mentally but this is what makes us unique. It creates diversity in our society. To support this, Catherine Pulsifer once said “We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity life would be very boring”.
However, we could not deny how tough it is to stay positive and peaceful. Racism is nurtured in some families and this action only disrupts peace. I have to agree with Maya Angelou on this one when she said that it is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. No two trees are the same, both produces the same fruit but it doesn’t have the same amount of leaves or the same roots and yet it hold the same name. Just like Malaysians, we might have a different family background but once you are born here in Malaysia, you are one of us. George R.R. Martin once said “Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle”. It does not matter where you come from, what matter is where you stand, in unity or in division. It is true what Michel De Montaigne said, there never were in the world two opinion alike, no more than two hair or two grains: the most universal quality is diversity.
As a conclusion, diversity is an art and like every art, the fine details make a huge difference. To make a beautiful art piece, it has to be made with love and patience, which is not different from diversity. We should celebrate diversity and practice acceptance in order to be able to choose peaceful options during conflicts. It is true what Ola Joseph said, diversity is not about how we differ. It is about embracing one another’s uniqueness. To sum it up, we should embrace who we are and accept others and may we life in a peaceful life.
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