An Invitation to Smile
There I was, as always trying to make it on time to class, a class that each day brings me new wisdom and experiences. Today could not be the exception. Jasmine Kripalani was the one in charge for today’s exceptional time. Long hair, glasses and a beautiful smile -an honest and warm smile-she is a new inspiration in my life. She urged me to throw myself out there, to a travel and explore the world. “You have to be excited about what you are doing, you have to take ownership … always have the sense of curiosity”.
Curiosity is an aspect any human being should not forget or avoid; it is a part of human nature. For instance, since we are children we are always asking why. Like in that movie “The Sensation of Sight” in which the main character asks himself: “Why is man, the asking animal, always asking ‘why’? From the innocent tongue of a child’s mouth to an old man’s soliloquy on his dying bed, always asking why.” However, I think as times goes by, many people tend to lose that sense of curiosity, maybe because institutionalized education does not have a space to think outside the box and to challenge the status quo. Therefore, in many occasions one is being forced to choose either black or white, and all the in-between tonalities of colors are being completely ignored. As a consequence, many people decide to ignore the natural curiosity so that it becomes “easier” to fit in a determined society; however, if one expects to be a journalist, curiosity must not be forgotten.
So there I was again, sitting in the classroom in front of the person who made my day, her life was an inspiration to me. Now I understand that very well known artists or intellectuals are not the only amazing people, I realized that everyday I find places, sounds, smells, people that help me (if i want) better understand the world that I live in and that give me a space out of the routine of the daily life. Therefore, I need to become more aware of my reality, it is as Jiddu Krishnamurti, a speaker on spiritual issues, once said: ” If you clean your teeth every day while looking out of the window, the cleaning of your teeth becomes a habit; but if you always clean your teeth very carefully, giving your whole attention to it, then it does not become a habit, a routine that is thoughtlessly repeated.” Once one gives whole attention to the surrounded environment and finds beauty in the every day life, stories to be heard and to be told are always going to appeared.
In addition, because Jasmine Kripalani has recently worked at writing stories that are going to be published online, it made me realize how important internet has become for journalists across the world; however, I think there is an aspect that has not being taken into consideration and that is the digital divide. Therefore,even though I recognize the great role that many journalists are playing when it comes to media convergence, I also believe it is important to think about those people who do not have the access to these new types of technology and consider in which ways those with access could engage in a more critical approach by paying more attention to those who do not have access. Continually, we shall all try to come up with solutions that engage journalists from different backgrounds create a sense of unity among those who have and the ones who have not.
I have found amazing how something as simple as a smile can inspire and invite people to believe and to explore the world. It would be irresponsible if we, as citizens of the world, go blind in our daily lives ignoring what is happening in our communities; therefore, we should act accordingly because all living creatures share a common responsibility if we aim the benefit of the world.
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