Tom Kawczynski - Off the Record

Like much of the wintry Mid-Atlantic, we've been buried under a blanket of snow here in Pittsburgh.  I've probably spent at least two hours shoveling in my new involuntary exercise plan.  But, it is interesting to see people actually interact outside their cars.

We live in a bubble world.  Our house is a bubble.  Our car is a bubble.  Our friends are a bubble.  We put ourselves in certain circles, whether they be tangible or mental, and don't see what exists outside them.  I thought about this today as bubbles bursting had people laughing and skidding on snow.  Traffic had ground to a halt, there were problems everywhere, but it was fine because everyone was okay.

I look to burst bubbles too.  I try to reach out between different groups and ideas to force people to rethink how they see both themselves and this world.  When I think on ideas, I always try to see them through the eyes of the other.  I recognize that I can't ever have a full substitute for experience, but even the difference in perspective matters.  It brings new insights and increased empathy.

So, while we play in the snow, or try to get out of it, think of when was the last time you actually talked to someone who you don't talk to, and give it a chance.  It's interesting to learn about the people and the worlds you didn't know ever existed, sometimes just a snowbank away.