The past few days have been challenging for many of us in the region. We watch events unfolding around us, some with horror, others with confusion. But instead of rushing to judgment, we need to pause, pay attention, and recognize our shared human experience.

One mistake we often make is assuming we’re all at the same level of understanding just because we’ve gone through similar education or life experiences. Modern science tells us otherwise. For years, we’ve focused on intellect—on IQ and reasoning. But now, we’re realizing how much emotions shape our world. You can be brilliant and still emotionally immature, and that immaturity can do far more harm than a lack of intelligence.

What’s happening around us today challenges us to reflect on who we are. We tend to believe that “one size fits all,” but it never has. In the past, the majority opinion often drowned out voices on the edges. But things are changing. Now, even within so-called majority groups, there are layers of differences. We may share one common viewpoint, but beneath that, we hold a variety of perspectives. Too often, we only deal with the surface without exploring what lies beneath.

This is what we’re seeing in our world today—people focusing on what’s obvious, while deeper issues go unnoticed. Some are skilled at highlighting what unites us, but eventually, the hidden factors come to light, and many are shocked by what they discover.

So, what does this mean for us? Everything around us is an opportunity to learn. It’s a chance to examine what we believe and why. Young people, in particular, see right through inconsistencies. They call us hypocrites—not always because we are, but because we often present a united front while hiding deeper contradictions.

Many resist organized religion for this very reason. They see how faith communities profess shared beliefs, yet under the surface, there’s division and contradiction. Unlike older generations, who were taught to accept what they were given, young people want to dig deeper. They are natural critics, not in a negative sense, but in a way that pushes for honesty and understanding.

In the past, we stayed in our lanes. We didn’t ask too many questions. We accepted what was handed down to us. But today, people want to know more. It’s like a child receiving a toy and immediately taking it apart—not to break it, but to understand how it works. That’s the world we live in now—a world of deconstruction.

And that’s okay.

We shouldn’t be afraid to pull things apart, to question, to challenge. Much has been hidden from us over the years. Instead of resisting, we should listen, observe, and think critically. When we take a closer look at the things we’ve always believed to be true, we might be surprised by what we find.

We can’t turn back time. Humanity is evolving, and we have a choice—we can grow with it, or we can stay where we are and be left behind. The world will keep moving, whether we’re ready or not. So instead of resisting, let’s be proactive. Let’s recognize that what we see on the surface is only one part of the whole.

Be courageous. Be open. Don’t fear change. Everything happening around us is part of something bigger. Listen, reflect, and don’t be afraid to see beyond the surface.

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