J. R. R. Tolkien’s famous, perhaps even trite, quote “Not all who wander are lost” has long resonated with me. I identify as someone who meanders and explorers. Who questions and challenges. In a word I identify as someone who wanders. Identifying myself as a wanderer in both the physical and metaphysical sense has impacted my standpoint by cultivating my innate curiosities and sense of adventure. By continually choosing to explore different areas of the world through travel, varying belief systems through study and objective inquiry, and broadening my understanding of world cultures through the study of language I have been able to develop an accepting and holistic standpoint of the world. Limitations arise when I choose to not remove personal biases that hinder my ability to express understanding and compassion.
My standpoint has been most deeply affected by that which challenges it. Exploration by means of travel is always the first step I take when I want to explore, question, and challenge the world around me. Whether it’s a new trail leading out of Dogwood, a side street in Milan, or a historic bell tower in Prague that first step to a new place is critical. Traveling not only has a way of transporting my physical body, but also my non-physical one. My spirit responds to that which appears abnormal, confusing, or hidden and travel reveals those qualities of my life and world that are hidden at a first glance or abnormal to the outsider. Discovery by means of travel leads me out and above aspects of my world which confuse and scare me—those things that do not lend me power. For example, when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed the best remedy is to go for a hike—either on a new trail or a familiar one. When I give myself space and time to let both my mind and body wander I usually end up at a familiar place: in the sunshine feeling grateful for the opportunities afforded to me and the strength and support I find in the beautiful sentient beings surrounding me—people, trees, and even the lady bugs hibernating in my dorm’s bathroom. All these beings remain symbols and gracious reminders that even in the midst of chaos, confusion, or fear we can all find our way. Because the path I have traveled and continue down is crooked and bumpy, and accented by light in the midst of dark places my journeys and explorations challenge me to accept and love the broken, crooked—or even well-lit and straight--paths of others.
Exploration does not always mean physical travel, however. Choosing to explore what I know inside me has led me to religion—an area of study that has had the most profound influence on my standpoint as I use it as my primary means of knowing. Religion is one of those topics that we are all told to never bring up at a dinner party, but I believe religion, fundamentally, is not controversial. Religion is not controversial because I understand it functions as just another way of knowing. Similar to the way that one understands the world by studying History, or Literature, or Chemistry I understand the world by the puzzle pieces I collect while sifting through various religious texts or critiques and experiencing new forms of worship. Religion when examined through an objective lens simply remains another human construct, but one to which I attribute great meaning. Religion is universal and binds the human experience by attempting to answer the undying question: who are we? By defining what is sacred and profane, myth and magic, divine or banal humans across the globe search holy texts, the cosmos, and their inner conscience for the ever-eluding answer. Through my standpoint I understand that no one actually knows why we are here, what we are doing, and who or what is actually responsible for us—but for myself the quest and journey towards enlightenment is a powerful one and often the root of my wanderings. I sometimes think that if I can learn and understand why others think we are here on Earth I can better discern my place on it. Religion gives purpose to my wanderings. I do not feel lost, afraid, or alone on our little rock when I take the time to unravel another mystery of my own belief system or that of another. I believe there can be truth found in every epistemology of the human experience therefore respecting that recognition of truth in others and within my own being remains paramount to my explorations, path to acceptance, and healing. I believe if ever there is to be peace, or justice, or equality present in this world it all must first be preceded with respect emboldened with bravery. Respect for those aspects of the world that hold meaning, value, influence, and power in all societies and cultures. Religion, like no other social construct, has helped me both to discover how to define divinity when I come upon it, but also how honor the sacredness I find in others. That sacredness will always inspire in me a sense of freedom and compassion to share with the world.
Edward B. Tylor, a 19th century sociologist, once wrote “For no more can he who understands but one religion understand that religion than the man who knows but one language can understand that language.” At first glance this quote appears to be a jumbled analogy of vague consequence, but after further investigation and critique I find a challenge, and a deeply personal one linked to my standpoint. As I developed in the preceding paragraph religion is the lens through which I view the world and how I am able to make meaning of the people and happenings around me. Language is the same. Without language how could religious traditions be communicated, honored, and continued? Really, how could any aspect of the human experience be engaged without a means of articulation? Dedicating time to learning and exploring other means of communication outside of my native tongue has affected my modes and capacity of acceptance profoundly. Before studying French in school, and before dabbling in Italian while living abroad who else did I have the opportunity to engage with and attempt to understand but only those individuals who spoke English? Learning different languages has diversified my knowledge base culturally and presented me with the need and desire to live a life that remains culturally aware in the face of prejudice, bigotry, and fear rooted in confusion. To a person who comes from a region of the country heavily drenched in racial prejudice using language as a tool to understanding and engaging my world has been deeply healing. To the eight year old girl who watched students play favorites among her third grade class--favorites based on a system of race and perceived socio-economic background; and to the 18 year-old who watched two gay men walk through the streets of a small Italian town—simply expressing their affection for each other--who were publically attacked for being in love. For all these injustices and others language is the means through which I free myself and help give voice to those who are unable to speak truth to power. Language is how I come to know my fellow man.
The ideas in the above paragraphs are still new and raw to me and certainly still developing. I am young, but importantly I am human, therefore I am fallible. Being fallible means, to me, having the ability to make mistakes but also living into those mistakes, meaning--to own my flaws and fumblings down my own path. Just as I have gifts to contribute to the communities and world around me I feel compelled to recognize my own limitations. Knowing when to step back and say “I need to let someone else speak or do here; I need to take the opportunity to learn something” has been a valuable skill I have begun to learn since coming to Wilson. In such a diverse community it is easy to become caught up in the “how can I impress you more” game. In this beautiful community we all want to contribute, but what I am learning—sometimes painfully and slowly—is that I am not called to be anything more than myself—and this aspect of my standpoint is what is helping most to shape me. My standpoint is all of the aspects I listened above, but my standpoint also consists of what holds me back: my fear of the unknown, my biases towards familiarity or “normal”, and so much more. I have chosen discovery through travel, exploration through religion, and understanding through language to shape my standpoint because those are what propel me out of my comfort zone with the most force. Those are what teach me how to be more fully human.
My standpoint has been most deeply affected by that which challenges it. Exploration by means of travel is always the first step I take when I want to explore, question, and challenge the world around me. Whether it’s a new trail leading out of Dogwood, a side street in Milan, or a historic bell tower in Prague that first step to a new place is critical. Traveling not only has a way of transporting my physical body, but also my non-physical one. My spirit responds to that which appears abnormal, confusing, or hidden and travel reveals those qualities of my life and world that are hidden at a first glance or abnormal to the outsider. Discovery by means of travel leads me out and above aspects of my world which confuse and scare me—those things that do not lend me power. For example, when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed the best remedy is to go for a hike—either on a new trail or a familiar one. When I give myself space and time to let both my mind and body wander I usually end up at a familiar place: in the sunshine feeling grateful for the opportunities afforded to me and the strength and support I find in the beautiful sentient beings surrounding me—people, trees, and even the lady bugs hibernating in my dorm’s bathroom. All these beings remain symbols and gracious reminders that even in the midst of chaos, confusion, or fear we can all find our way. Because the path I have traveled and continue down is crooked and bumpy, and accented by light in the midst of dark places my journeys and explorations challenge me to accept and love the broken, crooked—or even well-lit and straight--paths of others.
Exploration does not always mean physical travel, however. Choosing to explore what I know inside me has led me to religion—an area of study that has had the most profound influence on my standpoint as I use it as my primary means of knowing. Religion is one of those topics that we are all told to never bring up at a dinner party, but I believe religion, fundamentally, is not controversial. Religion is not controversial because I understand it functions as just another way of knowing. Similar to the way that one understands the world by studying History, or Literature, or Chemistry I understand the world by the puzzle pieces I collect while sifting through various religious texts or critiques and experiencing new forms of worship. Religion when examined through an objective lens simply remains another human construct, but one to which I attribute great meaning. Religion is universal and binds the human experience by attempting to answer the undying question: who are we? By defining what is sacred and profane, myth and magic, divine or banal humans across the globe search holy texts, the cosmos, and their inner conscience for the ever-eluding answer. Through my standpoint I understand that no one actually knows why we are here, what we are doing, and who or what is actually responsible for us—but for myself the quest and journey towards enlightenment is a powerful one and often the root of my wanderings. I sometimes think that if I can learn and understand why others think we are here on Earth I can better discern my place on it. Religion gives purpose to my wanderings. I do not feel lost, afraid, or alone on our little rock when I take the time to unravel another mystery of my own belief system or that of another. I believe there can be truth found in every epistemology of the human experience therefore respecting that recognition of truth in others and within my own being remains paramount to my explorations, path to acceptance, and healing. I believe if ever there is to be peace, or justice, or equality present in this world it all must first be preceded with respect emboldened with bravery. Respect for those aspects of the world that hold meaning, value, influence, and power in all societies and cultures. Religion, like no other social construct, has helped me both to discover how to define divinity when I come upon it, but also how honor the sacredness I find in others. That sacredness will always inspire in me a sense of freedom and compassion to share with the world.
Edward B. Tylor, a 19th century sociologist, once wrote “For no more can he who understands but one religion understand that religion than the man who knows but one language can understand that language.” At first glance this quote appears to be a jumbled analogy of vague consequence, but after further investigation and critique I find a challenge, and a deeply personal one linked to my standpoint. As I developed in the preceding paragraph religion is the lens through which I view the world and how I am able to make meaning of the people and happenings around me. Language is the same. Without language how could religious traditions be communicated, honored, and continued? Really, how could any aspect of the human experience be engaged without a means of articulation? Dedicating time to learning and exploring other means of communication outside of my native tongue has affected my modes and capacity of acceptance profoundly. Before studying French in school, and before dabbling in Italian while living abroad who else did I have the opportunity to engage with and attempt to understand but only those individuals who spoke English? Learning different languages has diversified my knowledge base culturally and presented me with the need and desire to live a life that remains culturally aware in the face of prejudice, bigotry, and fear rooted in confusion. To a person who comes from a region of the country heavily drenched in racial prejudice using language as a tool to understanding and engaging my world has been deeply healing. To the eight year old girl who watched students play favorites among her third grade class--favorites based on a system of race and perceived socio-economic background; and to the 18 year-old who watched two gay men walk through the streets of a small Italian town—simply expressing their affection for each other--who were publically attacked for being in love. For all these injustices and others language is the means through which I free myself and help give voice to those who are unable to speak truth to power. Language is how I come to know my fellow man.
The ideas in the above paragraphs are still new and raw to me and certainly still developing. I am young, but importantly I am human, therefore I am fallible. Being fallible means, to me, having the ability to make mistakes but also living into those mistakes, meaning--to own my flaws and fumblings down my own path. Just as I have gifts to contribute to the communities and world around me I feel compelled to recognize my own limitations. Knowing when to step back and say “I need to let someone else speak or do here; I need to take the opportunity to learn something” has been a valuable skill I have begun to learn since coming to Wilson. In such a diverse community it is easy to become caught up in the “how can I impress you more” game. In this beautiful community we all want to contribute, but what I am learning—sometimes painfully and slowly—is that I am not called to be anything more than myself—and this aspect of my standpoint is what is helping most to shape me. My standpoint is all of the aspects I listened above, but my standpoint also consists of what holds me back: my fear of the unknown, my biases towards familiarity or “normal”, and so much more. I have chosen discovery through travel, exploration through religion, and understanding through language to shape my standpoint because those are what propel me out of my comfort zone with the most force. Those are what teach me how to be more fully human.