When I first moved to Los Angeles, I got a job teaching kids at a charter school in the San Fernando Valley. This wasn’t your typical Charter School. It was more like the school of last chances.
After my first year, I was asked to take on the responsibility of Dean of Discipline, a position I would share with the school’s English Teacher who had beliefs in religion, politics, etcetera completely opposite to mine. Professionally, however, we shared the same goals and outside of religion and politics, we got along just fine. We also shared some of the same interests.
Additionally, we also both went to Yale. (More on that in a later blog post.)
One day, while we were conversing with the school principal, she said the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.
“Before I meet you, I hated men, Catholics, and Republicans — and you’re all three … but I kind of like you.”
It’s been more than 15 years since we both worked with each other. I have since moved back East. And, except for a comment here and there on Facebook, we don’t really communicate much anymore. But for a brief time, we worked closely together and occasionally socialized. When my wife was out-of-town, she and I would grab a bite to eat and truly enjoyed each other’s company. (At least I believe we did.)
In today’s world, I wonder if such a relationship of opposites would ever be able to flourish or grow?
That makes me sad. How else can we truly learn to “love one another”?
James is the author of Corporation YOU: A Business Plan for the Soul, The Christmas Save, Hail Mary series, and two children’s books: The Second Prince and Klaus: The Gift-giver to All. For six years, James taught At-Risk kids in Los Angeles. Today, he lives in New York where he continues to write — and teach. To contact James or book an interview, please contact Mark of Goldman & McCormick PR at (516) 639-0988 or Mark@goldmanmccormick.com.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Corporation YOU 