Well, hello, my friends, and welcome to the live-inspired podcast with John O'Leary.

I record these so that you may begin your week in awe and on fire with a burst of Labor Day inspiration.

So let's get after it with a quote from HG. Learner. Learner writes this,

only through our connectedness to others, can we really know and enhance ourselves? And only through

working on ourselves, can we begin to enhance our connectedness to others? Have you ever visited with someone you expected to be completely different from you,

but soon discovered great similarities, the feeling of connectedness, and the gift of a budding

friendship?

I experienced this during a visit with someone from a dramatically different background than

mine.

As we conversed, though, it was clear that what unites us is so much more significant than anything

that separates us.

Layla is a black female who has been forced her entire life to overcome racism and sexism.

I'm a white male who only as an adult truly began to grasp the profound struggles

others from different socioeconomic, gender, or races may face daily.

Layla grew up in a broken home after her parents parted ways when she was still little.

I grew up in a very traditional

home with five siblings, two parents, and one golden retriever. Layla, as a rebellious adolescent,

spent months in juvenile detention for stealing her mother's car, for shoplifting, for credit card,

and for fighting. She had to rebuild her entire life after being released.

I, on the other hand, as the result of an unpaid parking ticket, spent an afternoon in a holding cell,

ended up watching football with the officers and eating chili with them.

Layla is a vegetarian and extremely health conscious.

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