At dinner last night I was talking with a man from Ghana. It was his first trip to the United States and was asking me questions as he planned for a vacation in my homeland with his wife and family. His questions were thoughtful and touristy and I felt a touch of sadness for all of the little everyday things that surround me that I take for granted. Tonight I watched this man proudly and enthusiastically pick up his first bowling ball and learn how to bowl.
As we are just weeks away from the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I am reminded of a German man I met while I was working in Munich during the 2004 World Cup Soccer matches. He had told me how the collapse of the Berlin Wall had been a horrible thing. He was from East Germany and had lived within the confines of the wall his entire life. His family and friends had grown up near him and they all took care of and supported each other. Once the Wall was down, life was not that simple, jobs were not easy to come by and finding enough money was a never ending challenge. He explained that growing up he was only allowed to travel a very small distance. Now, he could travel anywhere in the world. Seeing the endless possibilities that were now in front of him, I was so excited for him. I assumed that it must be so liberating um...being liberated. He did not agree. He was happy before the Wall came down and he had no desire to travel. Since leaving East Germany had never been an option it didn't feel like he was missing anything. He told me that you can't miss something you don't know about.
I can't begin to understand the changes he has seen in his lifetime. And I can't fathom what it is like to have your curiosity stifled. I wish I could talk with him now to see how he has adjusted. To see where he has been.
I can only think of the lessons he, and may others I have met along my journey, have taught me. Next week I am off to Miami for another corporate meeting. A whole other set of lessons.
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