Be curious, not judgmental. — Walt Whitman
Think about the difference between “Oh, really? That’s interesting, tell me more” and “Oh, I don’t like that. I just don’t believe that’s right.”
How about the difference between “Wow, and what did you do then?” and “Well, that’s just not how we do things.”
And the difference between “You’re from where? What’s it like to live there?” and “I’ve been here all my life. I’m not interested in anywhere else.”
Opening your mind to the experiences of others doesn’t mean that you would like to have that same experience, or that you envy it, or approve, or give your blessing. It simply means that you have a natural curiosity about life, and about knowing more about what’s beyond your fence. It means that you understand that diversity is what makes our human fabric so rich.
There are other races, cultures, spiritualities, sexual orientations and politics out there. None of it need be frightening. All of it might be fascinating.