A fish born in a river believes the whole world is fresh water. A bird raised in a single forest thinks the sky above it is the only sky there is. A man who has only seen the sun might think the moon is just a lesser light, not realizing it shines on places he has never walked. This is the nature of perspective, it is shaped by where we stand, but it does not define the whole truth.

If you are a Christian, acknowledge that others walk different spiritual paths. If you are Muslim, understand that there are those who do not pray as you do. If you are an atheist, recognize that faith moves millions, even if it does not move you. If you belong to the ruling party, do not dismiss the opposition as enemies. They, too, are part of the nation. If you are in the opposition, remember that those in power are not always tyrants; sometimes, they are just playing a different role in the same game.

A soldier sees the uniform of his enemy and prepares for battle. A historian looks at the same uniform and sees the roots of a conflict. A mother sees the same uniform and wonders if the man wearing it will ever return home. Who is right? Perhaps all of them. Because truth is rarely singular, it is layered, like an old manuscript, written over and over, each time from a different hand.

The problem is not that we stand on different sides. The problem is when we refuse to acknowledge that another side even exists.

To see beyond your own beliefs does not mean to abandon them. It does not mean to compromise what you hold dear. It means to open your eyes a little wider, to see that others, too, have a story, a reason, a truth that is just as real to them as yours is to you.

The wise do not build walls, nor do they sharpen their swords for every disagreement. They build windows, they listen, they observe. Because the world is far too vast for one vision to capture it all.