Assad and Amaan are now my honorary brothers. One is from Ethiopia and the other from Somalia, and they both work in the Dallas airport. They’ve been in the US for about 5 years and they are both cheerful, hardworking men. I call them my new brothers because they called me “my sister!”

“Step up here, my sister,” Assad said as he helped me into the cart to transport me to my gate. Then, when he transferred me to Amaan for the second leg of my hurry-flurry through the airport, Amaan said, “hello, my sister. I will get you to your gate. You not worry.”

I loved the way they treated me; it felt like family. They helped me like they would help their own mother. They were protective and as kind to me as they would be to their own sisters.

Why don’t we talk like that to each other?  Why don’t we act like that to each other?

Aren’t we all part of a big family of humans created by God? Don’t we all breathe the same air whether we inhale it in Springfield or Somalia?

So, Amaan is driving me through the airport, and what song plays through the corridor?  “We are the world, we are the children…”  I am not kidding. Cool, huh?

We arrived at my gate and Amaan helped me off the cart and into a seat. “My brother,” I said, “thanks for the hospitality.”  I handed him a little thank you tip and he said, “thank you, my sister.”

And, that’s all. Simple, isn’t it? So, why do we complicate it?

Blindness is no doubt hard and it’s daily challenging. But, it’s given me a perspective that I’m grateful for. Sometimes I wonder if more people were blind, if more people could see how very alike we all really are. We’d realize how blessed we are to be in this big, colorful, beautiful human family. And, think how our compassion and grace would grow for one another.

Today, I decided you’re my honorary sister! Isn’t it fun to think about each other in this way?

Question: So, my sisters … what do you think? Are you up for being my honorary sister?