JUST ONE.

JUST ONE. Just one commonality creates a bond. Just one commonality gives an immediate sense of belonging. Just one commonality tells me I am cared for. Just one commonality creates conversation. Just one commonality removes all judgement. Just one commonality.

In a world that has become overwhelmed with labels, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, hate, and divide, I have experienced a world where nothing but one commonality is all that is needed to create a community. A world in which gender, age, race, abilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, political choices, height, weight, eye color, facial characteristics, hair color, hair texture, looks, names, tattoos/no tattoos, career, birth order, geographic living location, piercings/no piercings, blended family, single parent, same-sex parents, transgender, married, divorced, have children/don’t have children, ethnicity, nationality, skinny/not skinny, own/rent and the list goes on – DOES NOT MATTER. Nor is this world about negating individuality, rather it simply recognizes one commonality is all that is needed to bond and to honor each other.

Those of you that know me, know that my husband and I are motorcycle (and Can Am) riders. Not only was I fascinated with the adventure and excitement of being out on the bike, I was even more fascinated by the instant community one has by simply being on a bike. While on the bike, the world becomes a place of peace and community. Biker’s, complete strangers to one another, wave to each other and send a message of safety each other as they pass on the road – all because of one commonality. If you make a stop where there are other biker’s, we pause to say hello, compliment the others bike, and wish them a safe ride – all because of one commonality. The bikers that ride as a group may all look individual to you (and may have just met one another that same day), but they are carefully maneuvering in a way to keep each person of the group safe – all because of one commonality. It is an instant bond, an instant bridge, and an instant community they provide to one another -- all because of one commonality.

I have learned that, not only through biking, that we truly only need ONE commonality to care for each other, to maneuver together, to raise each other up, to look out for each other. How can we make, the fact that we are all human, our one commonality and have everyone begin to maneuver together to keep us all safe. I promise you, all it takes is JUST ONE.