The definition of diversity in the dictionary gives us an idea of what it is. It talks about variety, and relates to the practice of including and involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, religions, national origins, etc. It all sounds very clinical to me. How does that melding of cultures and people comes to be? how do we factor in?
When people think of diversity in relation to people, they usually think of people of color, but diversity is greater than that. Diversity includes all of us. Makes our life richer, and our experiences more colorful, because we get to see through someone else's stories, how this world we live in truly is: beautiful, and interesting, and so different for each culture.
We all live in the same world, but we don't experience it the same way. By connecting with others, by including diversity in our environment, we enrich our lives. Learn new things. Taste new things. Open our minds to what it can be, what reality is for someone different than me.
We become more empathic when we meet people from other cultures and walks in life. It's hard to put a label on someone if you become their friend, especially when you spend time with them as people and realize how the similarities are greater than the differences in most cases.
And that's why diversity is so important. It makes our life better, makes the world a better place.
Sometimes people fear diversity, as it challenges some of their ideas of how the world works. When humans lived isolated from each other, this fear might have ensured survival. But we don't live like that any more, and the world is not as hostile as it was then. There are so many wonderful people in this world, and they all have something to show us, and teach us, if only we give them a chance.
So today I ask you to reach out to someone different to you, and ask them about what they like, what their life has been. Share that story from school that makes you laugh. Make someone feel included today. Make a new friend. Taste something completely out of your comfort zone. Connect.
Life is so much better when you do so.
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