In a world full of chaos, we need to be the calm in it. And that calm, to me and to many, is the bond of friendship. Friendship is one of the many wonderful things we all experience and the driving factor behind my book, “The Unique Friendship of Grover and Steve.” At the beginning of COVID, we were all affected by the sudden and drastic changes to our lives; no socializing with our friends and family, working from home, and at home school. Needless to say, the COVID “experience” was obviously challenging for young children.
Fortunately, my wife and I found out that a local drive-thru zoo (that has been around for nearly 50 years) was open, and we instantly jumped on the opportunity to take our kids. It was an obvious change from the “dull” and “inactive” life my kids were experiencing during that time. Upon arriving at our destination, it was more crowded than usual, given that everyone else had the same idea. We paid our entry fee, and off we went. It was a pleasant experience for all of us to get out and enjoy life outside of our immediate home. Winding through the roads, we saw all kinds of animals. We even had a very friendly ostrich (no relation to Steve) walk up to our car and peck at our windshield, looking for food.
Then, at one point, we saw a large tree with branches and leaves stretched out to provide a vast amount of shade for the animals. What struck me was only two animals under that tree, an ostrich and a donkey. Two completely different animals huddled so closely together that I remarked, “They look like they’ve been best friends for many years.” This spawned the idea for my book. The message came to me, how two totally different animals could be best of friends despite their differences. I thought about how that message would resonate in today’s world. Everyone in this life has their ups and downs and crosses to bear, and regardless of our differences, we should all be accepted.
No one should be treated differently just because they come from a different walk of life than you or believe something you do not believe in. And for parents like me, we should look at our children and how they view the world. Their innocence and acceptance of others are exemplary. Hate is not something we are born with; it’s nurtured and bred, and for what purpose, because someone is different? We should all take a step back from the craziness and chaos to realize that differences make our world incredible. Lee Cherry is the author of The Unique Friendship of Grover and Steve, his first book. He wanted to create a children’s book with the message that regardless of our differences, we can all be friends and do so in a way that children would understand. Lee attended the University of Central Florida and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. He resides in Florida with his wife and three children.