Our Beautifully-Diverse Landscape is Evident all around us.

Those who have never been to Southern California may not realize just how varied the climate and landscape are. Most people think primarily of beautiful ocean views and moderate temperatures…which is what I love about living here. Many, however, do not realize that the area has a semi-arid, desert climate with a diverse landscape of coastal plain, deep canyons and rugged mountains.

Driving north from San Diego you experience tremendous ocean views, and densely populated towns abutting the coast. Once you hit the Los Angeles area it’s often the landscape of bumper-to-bumper traffic along the 405N freeway. After the worry that your white knuckles will never again regain adequate blood flow, you’re north of LA, and your breathing may return to normal again as you are enmeshed in the area of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Mojave Desert.

A couple of times a year, I feel the need to ‘change the scenery’ from my normal routine and experience a place within driving distance that offers the chance for a new perspective on life. Recently, I drove north to Santa Barbara, located on what some consider Southern California’s transition point to the central coast. I had visited there only once before for a couple of days. I always look for a time and place that offers the benefit of traveling pre-tourist season. While I’ve driven about eight hours north for one of these getaways, this time it was a mere 3-1/2 hours up the coast. Of course, AI came in handy offering advice on what my optimum time to stop the drive to shorten the amount of traffic I’d encounter,  avoiding the LA rush hours,  plural.

Upon arrival, I settled into my hotel in Santa Barbara and enjoying a night’s rest, ater a walk around the city and dinner. In the morning, I  took the opportunity to visit the town of Solvang, a decidedly unique destination in the Santa Ynez Valley that I had heard about from friends. Solvang features a unique international flavor of Danish culture, traditions and architecture. It’s the type of place I think of it as a ‘theme park’ of towns. The Danish esthetic is what draws people to visit.

As I expected, tourists were actively visiting the numerous gift shops and bakeries, and filling most of the seats at the many Danish-style restaurants.  I walked around enjoying the flavor of the town, and then visited Old Mission Santa Ines, founded in 1804, one of California’s 21 historic Spanish missions.

A Beautiful Surprise!

As I headed back to Santa Barbara, I reflected on visiting Solvang which was a nice way to spend a morning, but the highlight for me was something else entirely.

My drive from Santa Barbara had been less than an hour along CA154, a winding two lane road (with the occasional alternating passing lane). As I had neared Solvang, I was immediately struck and surprised by the beautiful views of Lake Cachuma (shown above) and the surrounding Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains. Literally this stunning scenery took my breath away. The vista sparkled with its sheer beauty. Goosebumps radiated throughout my body as I was awakened to the stunning sights offered in this never-before visited part of California.

I had the realization that this location, and in fact, every location within the U.S., offers the most awe-inspiring landscapes, whether mountains or valleys, farmlands or populated cities, waterways or arid desserts. And, yes, this includes the proverbial ‘melting pot’ of people and cultures in our country, which are equally, if not more, awe-inspiring.

Our Country Mirrors a Beautiful Field of Wildflowers

Ever stop to think that all of life, human, animal, or botanical offers diversity of character and beauty? Is a flower less a flower if it is too dissimilar to another? Is a chicken considered a ‘normal’ chicken if it lays eggs that are blue, pink, green, or even purple? Some do, you know!  When did we come to expect chickens to only lay white or brown eggs? Look around and you’ll find wisdom, variety and beauty in all that human life has to offer.

Our 340 million-plus U.S. population is equally diverse; a fact that a vocal, minority finds very disturbing. Per 2024 census-figures, the U.S. has a 56.3% non-Hispanic white population. That percentage has declined from 80% in 1970, and just under 70% at the turn of the century. That ‘minority voice’ seems concerned that we are quickly poised to lose our white majority status.

They have executed strategies, after decades of planning, in an attempt to prevent and reverse this trend. Mass deportation efforts openly target ethnic minorities, green card holders, and even citizens, all without due process. It doesn’t seem to matter that 70% percent of individuals currently detained in warehoused detention facilities have no criminal record. These efforts are inhumane, cruel, unethical and anti-constitutional.

Personally, I love and embrace the diversity of our country. I do recognize, however, that we have a broken bureaucratic governing system fueled by a bi-partisan political structure that simply has not allowed us to enact sensible immigration laws. It will take both parties working together, and being willing to compromise for the greater good, to make reasonable change. Given where we are today that seems like a pipe dream, but I believe it is inevitable that the American people will continue to come together and demand more-reasonable change. Humanity is going through these challenges that will result in positive change in the future.

We have never Lived in a Monochromatic World!

A lack of diversity would be like living in a monochromatic world. During the first term of our current administration, I remember sitting at a church service where a moderately large crowd was in attendance. Thinking of what was happening with confinements and deportations at the time, I looked around and imagined how that gathering would look without anyone who was an immigrant to this country, or the offspring of an immigrant. Suddenly, in my mind’s eye, like I was enmeshed in a private Twilight Zone episode, I could see people disappearing one by one until less than half of remained. When you really think about it, aren’t we all immigrants or descendants of immigrants if we go back far enough? Aren’t the only true citizens the indigenous American people?

How would eliminating diversity affect our lives? Consider the people in your community that you encounter in a given week or two. Having maintenance work done on you home? Often a first- or second-generation immigrant. How about the landscaper maintaining your property? Or, the handyman repairing the next thing to suddenly need a Mr.-fix-it?  Many are immigrants to this land looking for a better life for their families.

Perhaps the family that runs your local bakery is of European descent. Or, the woman who does your manicures, is of Asian descent. I know I am personally blessed with friends from various places around the world. I can’t imagine them not being in my life. The variety of people we find important in our own circles, add so much to our well-being and offer a different view of life experience that we will never share. They are our chosen family.

Diversity is the fabric of our world, and our very existence!

How beautiful a world it truly is that we are privileged to live in. Everywhere we look we see diversity. It’s present environmentally and geographically, as well as physically in all aspects of human and animal life. It’s present in all things.  No two things are ever totally alike, not even so-called identical twins who have on average 5.2 genetic differences in their DNA. Every one of us are individually beautifully unique.

Celebrate the Beauty in Everyone

We should never think less of ourselves because we are physically different than another, or think differently than another. Our diversity is not a weakness; it is our superpower!

Take time to celebrate and recognize the diversity in each and every person and culture here and abroad. A few easy steps to recognize and accept diversity along the way:

• Smile and acknowledge everyone you walk by. You’d be amazed how a simple ‘Good Morning!’ might brighten someone’s day.
• Invite another sentence or two. ‘How are you enjoying this hot weather?’ ‘Try to stay dry with all this rain!’
• Consider a heartfelt compliment, if you feel one is warranted. ‘You have a great smile!’ ‘Love the color of your purple hair.” ‘Great looking dog!”
• Acknowledge those you recognize as living in your neighborhood. ‘Good seeing you again. I’m John by the way.’
• ‘Enjoy this beautiful day!’
• Remember that most people fear what they do not know or understand. Take time to get to know others, they are far more similar to you than you realize.
• Also, during what is likely to be a very challenging time ahead, take time to recognize those who may be in need, sharing what you are able to as neighbor helping neighbor.

One final thought to consider when meeting people on your journey…

Back in 2005 or so, I owned a restaurant/gallery business, one of my kitchen staff, Kasha, mentioned to me that whenever she meets someone, she intentionally looks them in the eye as she greets them, and says to herself ’Hello, God!’ It was her way of acknowledging and recognizing the connection and divine presence within each and every one of us. I think that’s a beautiful practice; one that tends to put every person on an equal level.

So, I say to each of you reading this…

Hello God!