STORYTELLER

"It's important that we share our experiences with other people. 

Your story will heal you, and your story will heal somebody else. 

When you tell your story you free yourself, 

and you give other people permission

 to acknowledge their story as well."

 - Iyanla Vanzant

Currently I am reading 'Talking to Strangers' by Malcolm Gladwell and a few lines stood out for me. First: "Today we are now thrown into contact all the time with people whose assumptions, perspectives, and backgrounds are different from our own." Second: "If we were more thoughtful as a society - if we were willing to engage in some soul-searching about how we approach and make sense of strangers - she would not have ended up dead in a Texas jail cell." And third: "If I can convince you of one thing in this book, let it be this: Strangers are not easy."

"When venturing out for a walk or groceries, I keep my hair in a bun, stuffed under a baseball cap, sunglasses and mask on. I try to expose as little of myself as possible, for protection - not just against the virus, but against the people who somehow hold me responsible for a global pandemic." It is hard not to think about the increase in racism towards Asians, and particularly Chinese people, during these recent times. Some draw comparisons to 9/11 and the treatment towards Muslims in the aftermath. Although I have been living in a bubble (literally because of self-isolation) and I have been fortunate enough not to have experienced anything first hand (although my mother has), it still saddens me to hear what is happening in the world. It doesn't just sadden me because it's against people of my ethnicity. Racism in general, against any race, is just sad. It comes from one thing: fear. And fear incites narrow-mindedness. It angers me to think someone could verbally and/or physically attack another human being, a stranger who inflicted no harm towards them, for something they did not do. The idiocy of bundling a group of people as one person based merely on ethnicity is laughable.

Humans are complex beings each with their own set of personalities, beliefs, upbringings, views, morals, tastes, agendas, sorrows, griefs, habits, even religion... To bundle them all as 'the same person' because of their ethnicity? ... Arguing with anyone who attacks another person because of their ethnicity is a waste of time. There is no intelligence or rationality behind it, this is because it is driven by fear. Fear of what the 'other' has (supposedly) done or might do to harm you. Treating them as an outsider, instead of a human being just like you. There is no hope in reasoning with the fearful. All we can do is not stoop to their level.

I often like to people watch especially while taking public transport. I like to fixate my focus on a certain person and imagine what kind of story they might have behind that face. What kind of sorrows they have experienced, what kind of dreams they desire and what kind of beliefs they have. Everyone has a story. One of the wisest things you can do is to keep an open mind. Though I have a distaste for people in general (being an introvert) I would like to and hope to continue to bear compassion for them... you know, as Malcolm Gladwell says, to engage in some soul-searching. Human beings are innately selfish but the line from right and wrong is crossed when your selfishness hurts another person who has inflicted no harm towards you. Being thrifty is fine. Being greedy at the expense of others is not. This is not an ethics class. This is just my way of life.  It would do the world some good if more people were more open minded.

On another note... Malcolm Gladwell's book 'Talking to Strangers' has been a great read so far and I definitely recommend it if, like me, you like your mindset to be challenged. Gladwell shares various stories throughout the book to illustrate how wrong our assumptions about a person can be (no matter how good or righteous our intentions are) which lead to an unravelling of events towards a horrifying ending.

H&M black dress / Siren 'ZADE' heels / Lareina headband / Lareina earings