We can accept, if we would believe.

Differences. We are familiar with it. In life, we're constantly dealing with it. Getting your bread from the Indian grocery store, buying your nasi lemak at the Malay stall, having lunch and reading your newspapers in the Chinese restaurant. We are certainly no strangers with differences in Malaysia.

As Malaysians of a multi-racial country, we know, and should have known, that acknowledging differences is not the end of what we should do. The most important thing, far more important than acknowledging differences, is accepting differences.

Yet what we understand here in this multi-cultural setting, might not be understood by the others in the world.

And I really wish they'd understood. Do understand. And will understand very soon.

Anyway, it seems like I've strayed too far away from what I really wanted to talk about initially. Things happened lately, world is falling in grey. But I do wish to believe in the good of people.

In fact I just wanted to say that I'd just watched a movie titled "Outsourced" on TV. The story was about an American salesman being sent to India to train the workers there.

It was a good movie, for it has successfully depicted the changes in the main character, from cultural shock, to learning to accept, and finally truly adapting. What was really good about this movie was that it gave a different look, a different light on India and the people in India.

That the child who stole the main character's phone returned it with hand-drawn paintings; that the fierce-looking man in poverty had the generous heart to invite the main character to dine with him; that the seemingly rules-and-norms-restricted country has its colourful side of fun and enjoy during festives.

Behind everything that doesn't look acceptable, there is one thing that connects - the warmth of the people.

Maybe it was just a movie - I'd not been to India myself, but what I really like about the movie was the message inside.

"Like you, I was reluctant with everything here. But once I gave up fighting with everything, it feels so much better,"said another foreigner the main character met eventually in India, in the movie.

Maybe we've been grown up learning the differences between us and the others; Maybe we've been grown up fighting with everything that is different from us. But have we tried to slow down, give up fighting, for a moment?

It could have been so much better.

Differences, it draws us apart. Acceptance, it connects people with differences. Citizens of the beloved Gaia, are we ready to accept differences? Even if we don't look the same, even if we don't talk the same, even if we don't dress the same, even if we don't eat the same, even if we don't pray the same...... Can we at least share one common faith in the miracles of acceptance?

In paranormal field they always say : "You can see, if you would believe."

And I shall say....We can accept, if we would believe.

Thanks again, to the movie "Outsourced".