“Otherness:” most often understood as a “deviation” from an expected, accepted norm. If so, my “otherness” derives from two factors.
     First, I’ve been fortunate to have travelled very widely – over 125 countries and islands on six continents, and 46 American states – and therefore have a different perspective of life than those who haven’t benefitted from such exposure.
     Second, I’m a serious, committed, long-time meditator who understands and experiences existence on multiple levels, not just from a third dimensional viewpoint. Especially on these levels, one truly sees the interconnectedness of everything and everyone.
     A published writer, I thought I’d share two observations from one of my poetry chapbooks pertaining to “otherness:”
Lift self above / what’s considered norm / to see truth of norm. Shift self outside norm / in order to understand / the creation of norm. Realize that norm / is a construct / and therefore not norm.
And:
we are all one / a common thread / a common bond / a common pulse / beats through all / from the smallest / to the greatest / from the least / to the most / creating of each thing / each person / microcosm to macrocosm / the parts of a whole / all working together / all tied together / all as One.