Little Sweet Bonds

January 2020: One of the main causes at the root of problems, arguments, wars, and other conflicts between people, is our inability to cope with our differences and the fact that we impose our point of view on others, even to the point of using violence. Religious conflicts, opposing political views, incompatible lifestyles, etc., have often led to unfortunate consequences such as death, destruction, irreconcilable relationships, families and societies torn apart.

It is no secret that differences between people have been a constant for as long as history can recall; it is also equally true that differences will probably always exist because human beings are supposed to differ from one another. The point then is how we deal with those differences and, in my opinion, we have not always made the best decisions when it comes to differences.

In my song Little sweet bonds I imagined a typical day where we meet hundreds of people. The day begins with a friendly encounter with people of different religious beliefs and continues, in a similar friendly manner, while meeting even more people with different lifestyles, points of view and life choices. The song stresses the fact that those who are able to overcome these differences and love others despite all things, are blessed.

Our world is vast, our world is diverse in all respects (especially in terms of people) and this diversity can be a blessing if we deal with differences in a healthy manner. This can be seen in environments where multicultural societies use their differences to complement each other and create prosperity and overall well-being. However, it can also turn into a curse when we are intolerant with one another and try to impose, at all costs, what we think is right. This does not mean that we have to remain silent when we disagree with something, but rather that we should try to never cross the thin line between disagreeing with others and imposing a particular point of view on them.

In my opinion, people who can face their differences without the need to impose their point of view on others display a high degree of tolerance that creates “little sweet bonds,” i.e., small brotherly bonds that together make the world a better place for all.

Enero de 2020: Una de las principales causas a la base de problemas, discusiones, guerras, y demás conflictos entre personas, radica en nuestra incapacidad de sobrellevar nuestras diferencias y el hecho de imponer nuestro punto de vista a las otras personas, incluso hasta el punto de usar la fuerza. Los conflictos religiosos, las opiniones políticas opuestas, los estilos de vida incompatibles, etc., con frecuencia llevan a consecuencias desafortunadas como la muerte, la ruina, relaciones irreconciliables, y familias y sociedades destruidas.

No es un secreto para nadie que las diferencias entre las personas han sido una constante durante toda la historia; de igual forma es cierto que las diferencias muy probablemente siempre existirán ya que los seres humanos fuimos creados para ser diferentes los unos de los otros. El punto está entonces en cómo nos enfrentamos a nuestras diferencias y, en mi opinión, no hemos siempre tomado las mejores decisiones en este sentido.

Para mi canción Little sweet bonds (en español, Pequeños dulces lazos) me imaginé un día típico en el cual nos encontramos con cientos de personas. El día comienza con un encuentro amigable entre personas de diferentes creencias religiosas y continúa, de manera similar, con encuentros entre personas con diferentes estilos de vida, formas de pensar y elecciones de vida. La canción subraya el hecho que aquellos que logran superar las diferencias y amar a los otros a pesar de todo, están bendecidos.

Nuestro mundo es muy vasto, nuestro mundo es diverso en todos los sentidos (especialmente en términos de las personas), y esta diversidad puede convertirse en una bendición si sabemos sobrellevar nuestras diferencias de una forma sana. Esto se puede observar en casos donde sociedades multiculturales han utilizado sus diferencias para complementarse los unos con los otros y crear prosperidad y bienestar común. Sin embargo, las diferencias pueden convertirse en una maldición cuando somos intolerantes e intentamos imponer, a toda costa, lo que pensamos es lo correcto. Esto no quiere decir que debemos callar cuando estamos en desacuerdo con algo, pero sí que deberíamos intentar no cruzar la delgada línea entre estar en desacuerdo con los demás e imponerles a fuerza un determinado punto de vista.

En mi opinión, las personas que hacen frente a sus diferencias sin la necesidad de imponer su punto de vista a los demás dan testimonio de un alto nivel de tolerancia y crean “pequeños dulces lazos”, es decir, pequeños lazos de hermandad que sumados hacen del mundo un mejor lugar para todos.

Early in the morning I walk outside
I greet my friend, my Muslim friend
On my way to work
I sit next to my friend, my Jewish friend

We may have our differences
But we see in all children of God
Tonight, my friends, let's meet
Your company makes my heart sing

Business time; clients here and there
I work with my friend, my disabled friend
On my way to have some tea
I lead my friend, my blind friend

Chorus
Vast and diverse is our great, blue world
I'm sorry for those who can't feel its love
Vast and diverse is humanity
I'm happy for those who can live in love

It's so simple
To judge others
But so hard to
Love others despite our differences
Blessed are those who can find the way
Shine the love now
It's contagious
Strike your neighbor with much love

Time for lunch, I meet more friends
In my friend's cafe, my transgender friend
I turn my head and I see my friend
In the corner there, it's my gay friend

We may have some differences
But we see in all children of God
Tonight, my friends, let's meet
Your company makes my heart sing

Time to take something to eat
To my friend out there, my homeless friend
And then a stranger passes by
I smile at him, it's my foreign friend

Chorus
Vast and diverse is our great, blue world
I'm sorry for those who can't feel its love
Vast and diverse is humanity
I'm happy for those who can live in love
Love others despite our differences
Blessed are those who can find the way
Vast and diverse is our great, blue world
I'm sorry for those who can't feel its love
Vast and diverse is humanity
I'm happy for those who can live in love