What is diversity?
Is it looking different then the guy sitting next to you?
Is it the way you talk,
or the accentyou speak in?
Maybe it’s how you look.
The way your eyes crinkle in the corner,
or the color of your skin?
No.
I think
diversity must run deeper than that.
Right about now you’re probably thinking, “wow, this is out of the blue.” Yeeeah, it’s pretty random (although being random is my specialty, lol) but let me explain…
In my creative writing class I was asked to write a paper on diversity, which, of course, got me thinking: "What is the true meaning of 'diversity'?" I was supposed to analyze whether or not I gravitate towards people like myself (which I don’t) and, in turn, analyze the kinds of friends I have.
I discovered two things:
1) I have an eclectic circle of friends.
2) That’s a good thing!
First of all, hanging around people who think and act like you do is not only boring but you don’t enhance each other in any way! Think about it, what aspects do you bring to your circle of friends? And where do they fill in your weaknesses? For example, I’m not great at math but I happen to have several friends who love it and have been able to help me improve. Whereas, I love English, and have several friends I’ve tutored. We not only complement each other but improve the way each other think. Granted, we have some similar likes, hobbies, ect. for those are the grounds for a good relationship, but it’s all comes down to broadening your horizons.
Consider this...
If we accept one another,
Not despite our differences,
But because of them,
What do you think the outcome would be?
If the whole world would get together and make friendships outside their cliques, we would make such a radical difference in our society!
Think about the new kid, who just moved in next door,
Or that student eating lunch alone.
What would happen if we broke out of our comfort zones and reached out to one another? We could rewrite the definition of the word, "diversity"!
As I stated in the end of my essay:
A family can be many things.
Family can be who you live with, the country you hail from, or the circle of friends you have. It can also be a group of people who were once strangers yet come together because they discovered they have something in common. They grow closer and closer until the lines of diversity have been blurred. Eventually, you cannot tell the African from the Korean from the American and it all comes down to this one fact: No matter what we look like on the outside, we are all the same within.
So I purpose a challenge today:
Find someone new and reach out to him or her in some way!
Just welcome them into your world, if only long enough to make them J
If everyone tried to do this every day, we could greatly reduce the amount of hurting in the world!
If you accept this challenge, please #1 this post and pass on this important message!
Just think of the difference you could make!
