...goal heading for this. One that would quickly and simply portray what I’m trying to do. Some others were “mix it up”, “be uncomfortable” and “break my routines”. However, I didn’t feel that any of these captured the full spirit. I’m still not satisfied with the final choice.
My motivation here is the idea of changing perspective. Perspective is a large idea. It’s from our perspective that all of our other thoughts, ideas, beliefs and feelings originate. It’s difficult to change perspectives, however. Sure, one can try to look at things from another perspective, see someone else’s point of view. But this isn’t really changing perspective.
Walk a mile in another man’s shoe.
This phrase embodies a bit more of what this is about. You can’t really understand another person’s perspective until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes; lived and experienced life as they’ve lived it. The film Soul Man comes to mind. The story of a white man who “becomes” black by overdosing on tanning pills in order to get a scholarship to Harvard Law School. Throughout, he experiences certain aspects of what it might be like to be a black man, the stereotypes, the bigotry, the misconceptions. However, there is a twist at the end, which questions the reality of being able to truly experience life as someone else.
Despite the true possibility of changing perspectives, I’d like to try, at least to the extent possible. The only way I can think of doing this is to put myself in situations that take me out of my daily routine and in situations that force me to operate differently, think differently. It’s only by doing and personally experiencing that we can learn and really change perspectives.
Now, I don’t plan to change perspectives, or lives, forever. Just for a limited period of time. In order to better understand others and then, hopefully, myself.
