Sit Down. Talk. Listen.

One of the things I love most about travel, is the opportunity to meet people in different parts of the world. Their cultures and customs may be dissimilar to my own, they may practice a religion I don’t completely understand, they may look very different to the image I see in my own reflection, but what I have come to understand through these experiences, is that, for the most part, people are just people.

If we just take the time to sit down, to talk as human beings, and more importantly, to listen, we will mostly likely discover that we are all seeking similar basic principles in our time here on earth.

We hope to live a peaceful & harmonious life, we strive to protect and to provide for our families, we share a desire to have both the opportunity and the ability, to prosper and grow.

After recently watching an episode of a Netflix doc series*, I was once again reminded of my feelings about travel and my “people are just people” viewpoint.

In this particular episode, the hosts had spent some time with leaders and representatives of Aboriginal communities in Australia, learning a bit about their connection to the land and the way in which they conduct themselves through their beliefs and culture.

Near the end of the episode, they are joined by Bruce Pascoe, an author and a professor of Indigenous Agriculture studies at the University of Melbourne. When asked the question of how can we learn more about, and better understand the indigenous ways, his response was a very simple one. He suggested that we need to sit down, have a cup of tea, talk and listen.

I recognize how simplistic this sounds, but in a world where we appear to be increasingly at odds with one another on multiple issues, it seems we could all benefit from just being able to sit down and talk, human to human, setting aside our need to be right, and just hear each others perspectives, even if we don’t agree on all things. Perhaps in doing so, we can strive to have a better understanding and respectfully move forward to coexist together.

It is a simplistic message, yet one that resonates with me so strongly.

If we don’t start finding ways to celebrate our differences, to be respectful towards one another, to learn from each other and to love one another as human beings, I fear what the future holds for all of us.

So the next time you find yourself in a place where you may or may not know the person next to you, whether it be in a familiar or an unfamiliar place, I encourage you to strike up a conversation, human to human. You might be surprised what you learn.

Hugs,

L💛

*The Netflix Series is Down to Earth, this particular episode can be found in Season 2, Episode 7, titled, Aboriginal Voices

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