Mary_jo, when I first went to college in 1960, I overheard two professors discussing "The Phenomenology of Guist". Their discussion fascinated me so much that I was determined to learn and understand this "Phenomenology of Guist".
In 1985, (It took that long for me to get a vague concept of that phenomenology) I was talking to the smartest person I have ever met, and I was using the word "reality" a lot; as if there was some unique, true concrete reality.
He turned to me and said "Orpheus, there are many realities" It was the way that he said it made a light come on; there are as many realities as there are people.
After that I began to observe what he meant, for example; people from Mississippi, who have lived there or places similar all their lives, have their own unique "Reality", and there is nothing to do but accept it because nothing you say will change it.
The same goes for groups of people all over the world. The only thing to do is to learn their concept of "Reality" and accept it.