Anyone who has flown, regardless of frequency, must surely have observed the advantages of air travel. However, from my first experience of driving to my high school graduation (from Christiansburg Industrial Institute–1944) I have always loved the freedom of the highway. Yet upon some distant locations I was forced to use air flight.
Anyone who has flown must surely have compared the view from the runway that takes on new dimensions as the plane gains altitude.
After boarding you sit and watch others come and go while executing their individual objectives and view them in the context of perceived size, gender, shape, nationality, profession, religion, political persuasion, or any number of things upon which we base our multitude of prejudices, none of which are distinguishable upon gaining certain altitude after take-off.
How perfectly symbolic of gaining spiritual altitude, when the higher we climb the closer we draw to the Creator of it all, the more indistinguishable becomes the basis of our multiple prejudices and the more we are able to appreciate diversity.
I am reminded of one incident during the early stages of Virginia’s problematic forced school desegregation while visiting an area elementary school as a Black History speaker. The first comment from the audience came from one of the all-white teachers who began the conversation with her “problem” with school desegregation. Her statement was immediately addressed by the primary speaker of the day who calmly pointed out her perceiving desegregation as a problem rather than an opportunity for growth and to learn more about different cultures.
Today’s multi-cultural challenges have since progressed from local to world-wide with multi and mass-murders leading daily newscasts. Is this really news or free advertisement providing new ideas to sick minds with ulterior motives!
Individually we can do little to effect positive change but collectively we can make far greater impact! There are in existence many groups and organizations addressing specific and common community needs. Pooling such strengths is essential to make the biggest and most effective and lasting difference–without sacrificing personal pride and identity!
Roanoke City is a champion in making such cooperate presence in needed locations as it continues to gain collective Spiritual Altitude through different religious and non-religious partnerships throughout different neighborhoods. The sooner we gain the spiritual altitude to recognize, accept and learn to appreciate what’s right about the many things, places and people about us, the sooner we will enjoy the full bounty of this unique Roanoke Valley and its significance in charting the course of World Peace!
