Common Ground — Mike Austin

The goal of this story is to help children out there understand that it is ok to be different, and to be honest, it is a good thing. We are all different in how we think and approach situations, and certainly our back grounds and upbringing significantly influence who each and every one of us is and strives to be.This is a simple story the depicts a day in the life of anywhere, when a child or an adult for that matter, may decide to pass along the negativity they have received from others. This may make them feel better for a short amount of time, and certainly for the wrong reasons, but if we can stop the cycle or chain of negativity, we all grow as individuals and friends. If we show empathy, and put ourselves in others' shoes, we may not be so quick to judge. Especially just for an opinion or an idea, which seems to be very common in today's world.This story is about teamwork and picking each other up when we are down, and supporting one another. We all make mistakes, but if we learn from them, and value these lessons learned, we can pass the positive approach and perspective and hopefully pay it forward to others.