CHILDHOOD – A LESSON IN ACCEPTANCE We are fascinated watching young children play. Their gaze is filled with wonder. With no apprehension they stare, touch, and explore. Worried parents are always on guard anticipating the harm that could befall their loved ones. But children have no such inhibitions. For them the world is new and needing to be experienced. I love watching babies grab objects – they’ll give them a momentary stare – then shove it into their mouth! I was a chubby toddler so this was definitely my way of experiencing everything! ☺ But as we grow up we become cautious and reserve judgment on that which is not understood. Some say that it is human nature to fear the unknown. This has been used to explain discriminatory attitudes and even the premise of institutional racism. I disagree – but that calls for another discussion. I feel it is natural to see ‘difference’ as needing exploration. This is how children experience life – so that must be human nature. But when does our innate curiosity of the unknown change? When do we start to use caution as a framework to explore? When do we begin to mistrust rather than to understand? While I was doing my Masters studies at OISE, the prevalent discourse in my program was rooted in critical pedagogy. In every article and every idea I was presented with - I looked for flaws in analysis or inadequate academic support. In many ways the best thing that happened to me was finishing my graduate studies and getting back to the real world. How can we rekindle this childhood sense of inquiry? During this trip I am learning about travellers who went across Spain and North Africa to visit new lands in search of trade and exploration. I am fascinated as to how some traveled to lands and embraced the different culture and over time called the land home. While history is full of conquest and colonization – there is an absence of stories about explorers traveling with the inquisitive nature of young children seeing the unknown as full of intrinsic beauty. Perhaps if we knew more about these explorers and this history, we could embrace the similarities between people and celebrate our differences. We need a better framework to create a more just and kind world.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 22:53:59 +0000
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