Are you different enough to fly, strong enough to fall and get up running??

Many of us are here together on this blog and the pages I post on because we are "different". Most of us have a list of things that make us feel different. Lately because I'm learning to feel safe in my own skin, I've come to realize my differences are actually a gift.

They allow me to see the world from a different view. Not better or worse, but different.

 I realize some in the autistic community don't like the puzzle piece symbol. I embrace it, not because I'm a puzzle to figure out, but because my personal piece of the puzzle helps build the world. Yours does as well. With out all the piece WE are not whole. We, each of us, are a piece of the puzzle.

I love that I have friends here of different cultures, races, abilities, genders, .............. from you I learn and grow.

My question tonight is that if there is strength in numbers , can we take all of our differences, use them together and make a better world? Simple or crazy idea???

While I'm not Catholic its hard to ignore the Catholic history when studying the history of Christianity. I love reading about the Saints and their parts in history.... we that are not Catholic know some of at lest a few....St. Nicholas. Saint Valentine,   and Saint Patrick. All the saints have one thing in common....the were different and embraced it. Other religions have similar people such as prophets.

I keep being drawn to a Saint name Bernadette. A simple but faithful girl full of love for God, Jesus, her family, Mary, and her village.   She had visions in the same area and believed Mary spoke to her. Her village split between finding her crazy, or  , special enough to be singled out. Eventually she was drawn and or pushed to a monastic life were the "church" could control what she spoke of her visions. She used this time, even though sickly herself to nurse and heal many. She was ridiculed by many even though she saved the village. Mary gave her directions in a vision of where to dig to find a stream. Not only did the village need water, but also became known to heal, which made the village a destination and they received many tokens of thanks and became fairy wealthy. Yet, Bernadette was kept controlled or better said bullied by the church. Much of what she saw, she was never allowed to share with the public.

OK enough about a saint that I'm sure most of you care little about, my point being she was DIFFERENT and never caved in.  Can we each be that strong? Make that difference? Truly believe different is good and a gift?

If I have a special saint I like to look at her as mine.

PATRON SAINT OF: Bodily ills, illness, Lourdes France, people ridiculed , shepherdesses, shepherds, sick people, sickness 

The video is part of a project I worked on last year on women of faith. Yes most are "Christian" but most saw the world totally different, or in the case of  Mary Madeleine standing by Jesus side as spouse, the artist saw things very different and still had the strength to share.

Maybe some of you can suggest people of faith to me to study , or you would like to share their story, that saw the world different and stood up for how they say it no matter what. Or maybe you want to share a story of how you see things a little differently.