Final thoughts on Narratives

Final thoughts on Narratives….

            Last year, my family and I traveled all the way across the country to spend my grandmother’s 85^th birthday with her and the rest of our family. After a few bottles of wine (each) everyone got to talking about the age-old question of life and all its meaning. As we went around the table, one generation to the next, everyone shared their own words of wisdom. I can’t say that I took very many of my relatives seriously at this point because half of them were crying and the other half were laughing at those who were crying, but when it came time for my grandmother to display her knowledge of 85 years, she said something that resonated with me then and continues to do so now. The room grew silent, and as she turned to look into the eyes of her life’s greatest accomplishments, she said “If I have learned one thing in my life, it is that you never stop learning.”

            My grandmother’s words sparked a realization that in every moment of every day we are being educated. Whether it be futile information or compelling words of wisdom, the daily experiences we obtain teach us what we need to know in order to be contributing citizens of the floating world.

            Suitably so, I was able to learn a great deal from the authors assigned in this class, in particular Bharati Mukerjee and Bessie Head. I would venture to say that one of the larger reasons these authors were able to convey such knowledge is because they come from parts of the world that most of us have only read about. There is much attribution to be paid to cultural awareness and I believe that one of the main reasons people are indifferent to others is because they have not been exposed to lives unlike their own.

            In addition to the cultural customs of India, Mukerjee taught me not to be unappreciative of the privileges I receive as an American citizen. The poignant tale of Jasmine as she struggled to survive as a widowed immigrant made me thankful for where and how I was raised. It also gave me a greater sense of awareness of the cultural customs of my own country and the ways in which they benefit and detriment those who follow them.

            Bessie Head gave me an entirely different kind of knowledge, and that is the ability to self-reflect. As I turned the pages and rounded the darkest corners of Head’s mind, I could not help but reflect on my own thoughts and question the sanity amongst them. I’d like to believe that my level of sanity and self-loathing is somewhat above that of Bessie Head, but we all have our quandaries and acknowledging that is always valuable.

            There are many narratives to choose from whether they are of hope or despair, and understanding them is a large part of being a citizen of the floating world. The ways in which I do so are by acknowledging the importance of empathy and striving to broaden my knowledge on all aspects of life. The best way to learn about something is to experience it first-hand, and if I have to travel the world and meet as many people as I can in order to do so, than I am more than adamantly disposed.