We are all just people...

This past week I was priviledged to staff a fundraiser where the Governor of Massachusets, Mit Romney, was present, as well as one of Michigan's gubernatorial candidates. At the close of the evening, after the well-paying guests and supporters trickled out of the ballroom, I was able to catch a unique happening that made me smile.

The gubernatorial candidate, having spent his evening greeting guests, shaking hands, engaging in casual banter, was standing near the hors d'oeuvres table. As the preceeding hours had not allowed for a moment to eat, he was partaking of some nourishment. One of the large stainless steel warmers housed small polenta rounds. While glancing over at the candidate, I witnesed him plucking the small, golden morsels directly from their shiny metal home. There was no use of a fork. There was no use of tongs. Only two mortal fingers...God's original eating utensils I suppose.

It struck me, while watching this strangely unorthodox display, that before my very eyes was a real human. Not a millionaire. Not a celebrity. Not a politician. But instead, an exhausted, hungry man, who was tired of dealing in formalities. Silver tongs and fancy china were not necessary. Champagne flutes and crystal goblets were not the order of the moment. Instead, just a simple equation: finger food + two fingers + one mouth = happy tummy :)

WE ARE ALL JUST PEOPLE. It's a phrase I remind myself of often--mostly when reading about celebrities and when fighting the urge to be intimidated by those around me. Some of us possess a lot more money than others, some of us have jobs that seem to be way more important, some have lists of credentials that don't quit. But at the core, WE ARE ALL JUST PEOPLE who long for things like love, comfort, truth, honesty, and community. That's all there is to it. Really. Just flesh and bone people. Some days we may find ourselves at the top of the heap, somedays buried at the bottom. But we're all in this together. And at the end of the day, WE ARE ALL JUST PEOPLE.