We're all human, and part of being human is showing respect and

Hear the words of Daniel Lubetzky: “We’re all human, and part of being human is showing respect and support for others’ life choices.” These words shine like a mirror held to the soul of humanity, reminding us that though we differ in paths, in customs, in dreams, we are bound by a single truth: the dignity of our shared humanity. To honor this truth is to rise above judgment, to cast aside scorn, and to walk together as kin upon this earth.

The ancients spoke often of this unity. The Stoics declared that all men and women are citizens of the cosmos, a single family under the stars. The prophets of many nations taught that to wound another is to wound oneself, and to honor another is to honor the divine. Lubetzky, an entrepreneur who built bridges between divided peoples through the simple act of breaking bread, carries this same wisdom forward: we are many, yet one. And the measure of our humanity lies in whether we extend respect and support, even when another’s path is not our own.

Consider the tale of the great Emperor Ashoka of India. Once a conqueror drenched in blood, he turned from war after the carnage of Kalinga and sought instead to rule by respect. He inscribed on stone pillars the command that every person’s life choices, whether in faith, in culture, or in way of living, must be honored. His empire did not collapse under tolerance; it flourished, bound not by fear but by compassion. From his transformation, we learn the eternal lesson: unity is not forged by sameness, but by reverence for difference.

The meaning of Lubetzky’s words reaches deeply into our daily lives. To dismiss another’s choice in career, in love, in way of being, is to deny them their humanity. But to show respect—even where we disagree—is to plant seeds of trust, of peace, of friendship. This does not mean blind approval of all things, but a recognition that each soul carries its own burdens, its own callings, its own truth. In honoring that, we create space for harmony where there might otherwise be strife.

How often in history has division grown from the refusal to respect another’s path? Wars of religion, persecutions, hatreds old and new—all rooted in the arrogance that says, “My way alone is right.” But peace, when it comes, comes through recognition: that the Jew, the Christian, the Muslim, the Hindu, the skeptic—all are human; that the poor and the rich, the young and the aged, the farmer and the scholar—all are human. And in this humanity lies a bond no difference can sever.

The lesson, then, is as clear as it is demanding: practice daily the art of respect. When you hear a choice you would not make, do not condemn, but listen. When you see a path you would not walk, do not mock, but support. This practice requires humility, for it asks us to loosen our grip on pride and to let another live according to their own light. Yet in doing so, we weave the fabric of peace that holds societies together.

Therefore, O listener, take this teaching into your heart: to be human is not only to breathe, to labor, to dream—it is to recognize the humanity of others and to show respect for their life choices. Extend this respect not only to friends, but to strangers; not only to the strong, but to the vulnerable; not only when it is easy, but when it costs you something. For in this practice lies the highest proof of our humanity, and the truest path to a world where all may walk in dignity.