Embracing Diversity: Lessons from a Linguistic Quirk

 

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are doing well 😀

Today I will tell you an interesting story, a few years ago, when I was a student at university, I noticed something strange. It had to do with the way our teacher and a few of my classmates mispronounced the word "Schedule" as "Shedule," using that distinctive "SH" sound from Britain. It was strangely humorous, a little language adventure straight in the middle of our lessons.

In the present, I have discovered that pronouncing "Shedule" with a "SH" sound is not merely a mistake; rather, it is the traditional pronunciation. Yes, as it happens, our British friends used to phrase it just like that a long time ago. Who knew? Particularly for those with a British accent, it's kind of cool.


So why am I telling you this story? Because it serves as a reminder that we all have our own unique rhythm. Like fingerprints, our thoughts and beliefs are fashioned by our experiences and background. Thus, it would be unrealistic to expect everyone to perceive the world the same way we do. It would be like expecting brightness on a cloudy day.

Let's celebrate diversity, which adds flavor to life. Let us appreciate different points of view, just as we would different colors in a rainbow. 

I Recall a lesson I have been taught in college about creating win-win scenarios when negotiating? Well, it's for life, not just for business. With a hint of empathy and a little bit of negotiating, everyone can walk away from a talk smiling.

So pay attention! Pay close attention and listen with an open heart. Giving someone the opportunity to speak up can teach you things you never would have known. Leave your ego at the door, folks. Though it talks gently, wisdom is still worth listening to.

Keep in mind that you are a human, and that people occasionally make mistakes and have incorrect thoughts and perspectives.
You see, this is how Allah made us; we perceive the same thing via various angels, and this is where humanity's beauty resides—in our ability to integrate and complete one another rather than to fight and separate over our differences and egos.

I prefer to visualize this analogy as a cube with six angels on it. You may see the angels on the right, your friend the angels on the left, your neighbor the angel on top, and so on. All of you are correct, though, as you all perceive the same cube from various angles and viewpoints.

So let's celebrate acknowledging our differences, appreciating our uniqueness, and creating a harmonious symphony out of the discord of voices. For that is when the magic happens—when we get together, when we listen to one other with genuine interest and learning from each other. At that point, we leave the ordinary behind and enter the exceptional.

See you the next time 👋