Paradigms
We all see the world based on the way we’ve seen it in the past, plus new experiences. Our new experiences mold our evolving perceptions. A simple experience many, many days previous caused me to reflect just how filtered we are by our paradigms and just how useful it is to see the world differently. After a short, steep climb up a hill overlooking one of the nondescript villages in a valley towards Leon, I stopped at the little chapel sitting on the bluff. I was tired and took the opportunity to sight-see as an excuse for resting. (Paradigms Along the Camino)
My Tutor for the Day
Standing at the entrance was a wizened, little old “Sister’ of some Order or another. She was my tour guide and adeptly perceived that my language was English. She asked ‘where are you from?’ In perfect English, as she stepped aside for another gentlemen exiting the church. I replied, as I alway do, ‘America’, but it may have sounded like ‘Murica to her. She just looked at me and smiled. ‘This man’, as she pointed to the guy leaving, ‘is also from America, he’s from Bolivia.
So, which America are you from?’ She saw the light go off in my head, and smiled again; you could see the mechanics behind her clever eyes working away. I’m not sure if her question was to cause me to quesion my own little paradigm (a view that unthinkingly held my country as the representative of two entire continents) or, she was genuinely seeking clarification. I suspect it was a little of both.
But, she accomplished a lot with her simple little question by causing me to see my world differently. So, now when asked ‘where are you from, I say ‘Alaska!’ as my token and begrudging response to my education by a little ‘Sister’ from a small church in the Leon Valley.
Sharing the Insights
It’s funny though, clearly, many of us need the reeducation. A few days later I was walking along and a young, healthy guy came up from behind and saw my APOC flag on my backpack. He slowed a bit and said he was from Brazil and asked if I was from Alaska. We had a nice but brief conversation of the beauties of the land and he spoke of how he always wanted to visit. With my new found wisdom I closed with, ‘isn’t this great, we’re both Americans.’
I got this quizzical little look, which turned into dismay at the thought that the US was somehow the same as his beautiful country to the south and his attitude got frosty as he picked up his pace, significantly. I haven’t seen him since, but I am sure, he could use a little visit to the wizened little sister on the church overlooking the valley leading into Leon. Paradigms are important and evolving them helps us see the world in a much better (and more helpful) way.
Interesting Links (Paradigms Along the Camino)
- Photos along the Camino and throughout the Iberian Peninsula
- Return to the beginning of this Journal Blog
- Enjoy our Journal Blog about our travels throughout Italy
Paradigms Along the Camino