I moved around a lot as a kid, thanks to my father’s profession (he’s a scientist and researcher). I was born in Romania and lived out the first five years of my life there, on my grandparents’ farm. Then, I moved to Japan with my parents and spent four years there, followed by three years in Canada. By the time I moved to the U.S. in 7th grade, I had lived in rural, urban, and suburban neighborhoods, and I had attended five different schools. Needless to say, I learned a lot from my unique childhood. I was exposed to a variety of cultures and individuals, and for that, I am grateful. Here are the top 10 things I learned living on three different continents:
1. Diversity is a treasure and a gift.
Diversity of thought, experience, background, and beliefs is what keeps the world turning. Where would the world be without people like Marie Curie, Maya Angelou, Sigmund Freud, Nelson Mandela, Yo-Yo Ma, Steve Jobs, Mahatma Gandhi, and Frida Kahlo? They couldn’t be more different, and yet, they are all essential. Diversity is not only important, but it can be our greatest strength if we let it be. And on that note...
2. Everyone has their own truth.
And that’s OK. Someone else’s truth doesn’t have to be a threat to mine. In fact, it can be quite enlightening and valuable to take on other people’s perspectives.
3. Everyone is living a life as complex and real as my own.
We, as human beings, tend to think that our experience is special because it is our experience, and it is personal to us. But everyone else is having a subjective experience as well, and it is just as valid as any other experience out there.
4. I can learn something from every single person I meet. I just have to keep my heart and mind open.
Oh, and learning is not contingent upon my affinity for the individual in front of me. I most definitely can learn something from people I don’t like and individuals with whom I disagree.
5. On basic human level, no one is more or less important than anyone else.
To believe otherwise is to fall into the trap of labels, categories, hierarchies, and stereotypes. I used to believe that I was somehow “less than” others because I had such a hard time feeling like I belonged anywhere. I would try to prove my worth by being the best (student, friend, employee). But I have since come to realize that I am just as worthy of taking up space as anyone else, just as I am right now.
6. Empathy and understanding are skills to be practiced.
It is possible to grow my capacity for empathy and understanding, no matter how empathetic I may think I already am. Empathy is a muscle that needs to be worked out.
7. Living in peace and harmony with others is possible. But it is not easy.
It is difficult, uncomfortable, and even painful at times. Over the course of my life, I have lived, worked, and studied with a diverse range of people (of various races, ethnicities, creeds, socioeconomic statuses, identities, and immigration statuses). And I can confirm, firsthand, that cultivating peace and harmony takes hard work. It requires vulnerability, honesty, and willingness to engage in the work. And the work never stops. But it is so worth it.
8. The collective is just as important as the individual.
Japan is a very collectivistic country. And if there’s one thing I learned from living in Japan, it’s that, sometimes, we have to put the interests of the collective above the interests of the individual. Japanese people have been doing this for centuries, and it seems to have worked pretty well for them.
9. We are responsible not only for ourselves, but for each other.
When one part of the brain is injured, other parts take on the work for which the injured area is typically responsible. It is the same with our communities: we are most successful when we help each other out and fill in the gaps for one another. Selfishness and greed have led to the collapse of empires. Collaboration is key to our survival.
10. I don’t have all of the answers. And I never will.
So take this list with a grain of salt.
-Laura
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