What is the point?

Sometimes I wonder, "Do I talk too much?" (probably) or "Why should I bother meeting so many new people, having so many transient conversations?" But I can't seem to stop it. I think it's about understanding our fellow humans and loving each other. Underneath this outer form, this body, we are all the same.

Yesterday, the Herald had a snippet on Jimmy Carter's recent trip to Israel, questioning why he was visiting there. He said, "Middle East peace can only be achieved by talking to all sides." It reminded me of this quote I'd written in my journal a while back from the introduction to "Of Mice and Men."

"Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. There are shorter means, many of them. There is writing promoting social change, writing punishing injustice, writing in celebration of heroism, but always that base theme. Try to understand each other."
-John Steinbeck

If you want to read the interview with Jimmy Carter: "Jimmy Carter: Israel must talk to everyone."