We Are All Connected

I met a refugee family recently and the family, in broken English with chests puffed up with pride, boasted that their youngest daughter had been born in America- the first of their family to be born in this country, their new and beloved home. The daughter had toddled over to me and patted my cheek sweetly while asking, "you Sister?". I replied that I wasn't her sister but was there as a nurse to visit another family. Her mother then kindly explained to me that in their culture we are all brothers and sisters. I nodded and my mind was immediately swimming in the beauty of that thought. 

Today I met them again. The little girl again toddled up to me and I squatted down to look her in the eye. She again sweetly patted my cheek and instead of a question, she firmly said, "Hello, Nurse Sister". 

This time, instead of shrugging off the title as too personal for virtual strangers, I placed my pale hand upon her cherubic, dark cheek and replied, "Why hello there, Sister." 

We are all connected no matter the color of our skin, our culture, our language. It's ever so easy to forget that fact in our disjointed lives- lives so busy that we have forgotten to meet our neighbors and stay connected through devices in our hands without laying eyes on friends for years. 

I hope that you will find a moment of connection today, my brothers and sisters.