My brother-in-law was born colorblind. He knew the grass was green and the sky was blue because everyone told him. But to him, it all looked gray. A few years ago, he was involved in a car accident. In the midst of a dozen terrible things resulting from it, one really interesting thing happened: he could see color. I don’t know the medical explanation, but suddenly he’s living in a world of shading and textures, realizing sky blue is not the same as water blue or Royal blue (the color of his favorite baseball team). Living in this new colorful world requires some adapting and learning. He has a whole new perspective.

I think we all need a new perspective every now and then, but especially after the last year we ‘ve had. We need to see each other and God in a way we haven’t before. To look closely and notice the textures and subtleties of each other. To celebrate things that make us alike and, maybe more importantly, things that make us di­fferent. To be a safe place for others to dream, seek, change, and be themselves. Let’s not just see blue – let’s see cobalt, navy, midnight, periwinkle and cerulean. Look at something you don’t quite understand, requiring you to get on your knees, dig in and study, and reach out to someone else to help you fully see what is in front of you.