We are a generation that is continually focused on the desire of and working towards making or having an lasting impact on this world. Hence, it is imperative that we tune ourselves to the needs of its individuals and communities. We are used to logical thinking, but the problem with that is logical thinking makes one see things in black and white while the world is full of varying shades of grey. Sometimes, it is not about doing what is fair, but rather about doing what is right. And for most people, that can be a difficult pill to swallow.
To start with, let's ditch for the moment any assumptions that we know what is best.
One of the best ways to develop empathy as a person is to travel.
Travel puts you out of your comfort zone. It makes you see new places and people, hear new sounds, taste new food, and have different experiences. But it does something else. It helps you to identify and understand the situation, feelings and motives of another person. This is the process of developing empathy, a skill that can be often hard to develop in everyday life.
Travel can not only improve each of our lives, but it can also make the world a better place. How exactly does it do that? And what does it have to do with empathy?
Travelling helps us realize that something which is different need not be necessarily wrong. Sometimes, there is no right way or the wrong way. There are just many different ways. When we travel and experience life of people from different places and cultures, issues which we presume as de facto sometimes have a whole story behind them. The most important thing is we realize that people have different opinions based on their own experiences, stories and lives.
Empathy helps us understand that, and ourselves a little better.
When we travel, we meet people from various backgrounds and places, each with their own story. The general picture that can be conveyed from this is the fact that our problems are in fact, minuscule, compared to the world at large. There are people in Syria, or Iraq, right now, fleeing from home, leaving behind everything they knew, to get to a place that offers some hope. When we travel, and hear such stories, we immediately realize how better or well off our life is compared to those people. This is what will teach one empathy, and develops a greater understanding on the moral fabric of life.
Today, our generation's pursuit of travel has been more of experiences and moments rather than traditional holidays in sun, sand and surf. We seek raw stories, genuine experiences and real people. A place might be wonderful, but a genuine interaction with people in that place can be extremely satisfying. When people travel, they are also more open to other travellers, and share stories easily, compared to two people who are working side by side in the same office. This simplicity, and shared humanity, often reaffirm the essence of life and its myriad of experiences, and gives some meaning of our own lives. This, in turn, builds empathy.
It aids one to understand the other person’s need, so we can effectively contribute. How can we expect to help others, if we do not seek to understand who they are, and what they truly need?
And why does it matter? Because, in the end, our travels and the empathy we show can help to build a little more peace in ourselves, and in the world.
Please upvote, comment and follow. Read some of my other opinions posts via the links below:
Opinions - The importance of anchors in our lives
Opinions - Our toys have not changed. They have only gotten bigger
Opinions - Of mortal dreams and motorcycles
Opinions - Of motorcycles and love stories
Of scuba diving and motorcycle racers - A slow life between fast lanes?
Motorcycle stories - How I got into motorcycle racing
A high-speed crash and life lessons
Introduction Post - My introduction for Steemit
Read the letters my bike writes on a regular basis;
Hope writes a letter - Crazy fridays and I find out I am not a car person
Hope writes a letter - Hello world! I am Hope!
Sources:
Image sources: