Thanksgiving week; the busiest travel season in the United States (which also makes it a crazy travel week in major European airport hubs…wowza…). As I was making my domestic connection at the airport on the Tuesday morning of this busy travel week, I was reminded again why I am thankful that I have both TSA Pre-check and CLEAR. These two little travel hacks make it just a little bit more enjoyable getting through the airport. But as I was watching all the families catching their flights, I cannot help but feel sentimental though. Our family will be spread all over the world this Thanksgiving, and the years that we had together as a family enjoying the most amazing turkey dinner prepared with amazing love by my wife and best friend are moments I will always cherish.
What a time to be alive. I know that the news wants to celebrate all that is horrible in the world (that’s how they make money), but there is something that I continue to reflect on more and more. Our bias and discrimination will always be based on fear and our own lack of curiosity. The more different we think we are, the greater the need to embrace curiosity to see how similar we actually might be.
I traveled to 19 different countries this year, some of those countries multiple times. I also spent time in 12 different states. Over 130,000 miles flown, and I probably can’t accurately tell you on how many airlines those miles were flown on (as many as possible on Delta…just sayin…). Here’s the best summary I can give you for all those countries, states and miles: Everywhere I went, what made the places amazing wasn’t the sights I saw, it was the people I spent time with.
I have never been a normal “tourist” because of the line of work I am in. When you work in the development realm of non-profit, you tend to spend more time in places that most tourists will never see. This fact is probably why I have loved travel. I find myself sitting in homes of people, in neighborhoods that allow me to see the reality of how the majority of the world actually lives.
In the most poverty stricken places, I watch people laugh, smile, cry, live and die. In the wealthiest places I see much of the same, except that I see a lot less laughter. In the parts of the world where I see the greatest wealth, I see the greatest stress and lives that seem to always be on the brink of exhaustion. It appears that money doesn’t actually buy happiness.
Sometimes I wonder if we really understand how amazing the world is that we live in. A friend of mine in Orlando offered a unique perspective about how we need to face the differences in our world. He shared that when we look at someone, their color, ethnicity and culture give us insight that can help us relate to each other better. For example, I’m a white, European American from a Midwestern United States culture. My ethnicity as a white male has had an impact on so many areas of my life that I will never fully understand. My European American ethnicity reminds me that I will always have an immigrant past. My ancestors came from Scotland and Germany. As much as I love living on the West Coast of the United States, I have a deep Midwestern cultural worldview. Even though I never felt like I fit in the Midwest, that culture has deeply impacted who I am.
When I look at color, ethnicity and culture, it helps me to see bridges that I can build to relate with people. I get it that I can add to this list (gender, religion, etc.), but it tends to be difficult for the majority of people to see past the first three. If we are honest, for many people it is still difficult to look past color.
My life is so enriched by people of different colors, ethnicities and cultures. I see my world differently, and I approach life differently because of them. This past year I have danced in Africa and Asia-and this white guy can’t dance. I’ve laughed in Europe and Latin America until I hurt. I’ve listened to people in homes that were so small that I literally didn’t think I would fit through the door. I have butchered too many languages to count, and I have been reminded that when you scratch away all the obvious differences at the surface, people are people.
I’ll travel all over the world again in 2020. I’m excited about that prospect. My hope is that as a result of my travels is that I will live a richer, more generous life as I continue to be changed through the people I meet. So as I am getting ready to begin baking day in preparation for the Thanksgiving feast of tomorrow, I hope you know reader that I am also thankful for you. I hope you are surrounded by people that truly love you and that make your life fuller and richer relationally.
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