Everyone has a story

How often have you learned where someone works, where they grew up, the type of car they drive, their religious or political views, and decided that they have nothing in common with you, that there's nothing about them that interests you? But how about those times when you did learn something extra about someone, something that completely surprised you and immediately created a bond between you, a common understanding? I truly believe that everyone has a story. People are a mosiac of their experiences.When you fail to take the time to dig a bit deeper, you may miss an opportunity to learn a different perspective, to learn about unimaginable strength or resilience, to learn that intelligence isn't always about the degrees one holds. In Zambia, I was often surprised by people. I learned quickly that making assumptions based on superficial qualities would be to my disadvantage and after some time, I developed this insatiable appetite to hear people's stories. In Zambia, where opportunity is limited, you cannot pass judgement on a person's intellect, ambition, or ingenuity based on their level of education or means of supporting themselves. I met people who were self-taught electricians, community developers, nurses, teachers, counsellors. I met people who had never used a computer or heard of the United Nations, but who were still able to teach me how to live as a better human being. The young man who is more of an engineer that I could ever hope to be, but wasn't able to finish his Grade 12 because his family couldn't afford school fees. The woman who aspires to be a nurse but must sell samosas every day in town because she has to raise money for tuition and to feed her family. Beautiful, inspirational, heartbreaking stories that I never would have discovered if I hadn't taken the time, made the effort, or had the will to learn their story. I'd love to hear from anyone who has a story about someone they met that surprised them. Maybe we could start a book....