Human history is full of people going to war with others simply because someone else’s neighborhood looked too different from their own. This lack of experience with remoteness and other unique human perspectives of the world around us is likely the foundation for the ugliest divisions that plague humans everywhere. These divisions begin early with school rivalries, rural/city divides, political loyalties and grow into racism, bigotry, misogyny and full-blown wars over religion, beliefs, and cultural differences. I know that it is probably the Martian genetics in me but I firmly believe that if more people were encouraged to find their particular remote experience early on in their life, more people would turn out OK and the Earth would be a kinder place in which to grow up.

As I moved from elementary school into Jr high, the rules and expectations changed and with that I had to continue to change too. I learned so much during those 2 short years both from the things I got right and the things I got really wrong. Washington Junior High School has long since disapeared from this earth but my memory of the building, the teachers, a bully named Shawn, a girl named parley and my best friend named Frank still make up the best parts of who I have become in this world. I don't know that I would ever want to relive those years but I can say for sure, I am glad they happened just the way they did.

It is so easy to grow up in our world and never really understand how different ours is from other peoples experiences. How could we ever know unless we got the chance to experience those other worlds. Eventually, however, most of us end up getting glimpses of other people's understanding of God, religion or even culture. As my friend group expanded and I had the chance to learn that other people's churches and faith teachings seemed so different from the way I was taught in my home church on Davis Street in Ottumwa Iowa, I began to ask that basic question, "Why do I believe the way I do about God?" With in this story I reveal two things, 1. As a Member of the little known faith movement called "The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)", I was taught that God was more about love than fear and judgement and 2. Why I hate, I mean really hate, hot chocolate!