Vanilla or Chocolate?
Just about everyone I know loves ice cream. There are an abundance of flavors to choose from, and each one has unique and wonderful qualities. Sometimes I like plain vanilla, especially on top of a slice of warm Dutch Apple pie. Other times, I prefer chocolate, or dulce de leche, or toffee, or Spumoni, or strawberry, or even black raspberry. Come to think of it, there aren’t too many flavors of ice cream that I don’t like.
When I was a kid, the only flavor ice cream I ever wanted was vanilla, and not just as a topping on my pie. You see, I had tried vanilla when I was really young, liked it, and figured I would never be disappointed as long as I had vanilla.
I think the first time I tried a different flavor was when a neighbor was making homemade ice cream and offered me some peach flavored ice cream. I was pleasantly surprised how great this fruit-flavored cream tasted, and from that point forward, I wanted to try new flavors all the time!
If variety is the spice of life, ice cream proves how rich our palette can be once we are open to new experiences.
I guess the same can be said about people. As we reflect on diversity and inclusion, I never cease to be surprised by people who look differently than me. Often, I have some judgment that they must be unlike me. In most cases I am right – and thankfully so! How utterly boring would life be if everyone were the same – had the same viewpoints, interests, skills, manners of expression, etc. I think our ability to learn would be severely hampered without diversity, since different perspectives offer us new opportunities for growth.
The last couple of years I have had the distinct pleasure of delivering Christmas gifts to immigrant families in our community with my two children. What a rewarding experience it has been! I have been impressed by the families I have met from Burma and Cuba , experiencing a bit of their cultures, and realizing how blessed I am to be part of a community that is growing its multicultural identity.
In my limited associations, some of what I have noticed is incredibly strong family connections, a relentless pursuit of growth, a strong work ethic, and a sense of gratitude to our country, while maintaining a sense of cultural pride. Through these experiences, I find myself appreciating my life even more, taking more pride in our great melting pot, and getting off my duff to capitalize on those things that I formerly took for granted – like giving my voice to things I feel are important.
I am convinced that any time I get discouraged about what is possible for our community, all I need to do is talk with someone from a different culture, and I gain a new perspective that continues to pay dividends.
What opportunities do you see for learning from our growing multi-cultural community?
By the way, the next time I enter the ice cream parlor, I going for Superman!
