Thought for the Term

Different – Adjective - Not the same as another or each other

Diverse – Adjective - Showing a great deal of variety, very different

Diversity – Noun - The state of being diverse; variety

 

How awful life would be if we were all the same. If we all looked the same, dressed the same, ate the same food, craved the same things, lived in the same houses…. If there was no choice, only one way of being. I liken such a “beige” existence to something out of dystopian fiction. Fortunately, our Earth is diverse!

Life is an adventure and there is so much choice. Where do you want to live? What do you want to do? Where do you want to travel? What do you want to have? And for all of us, these hopes and dreams will be different. That is a good thing. We are not meant to all be the same. Your body, brain and identity are unique and that makes you special. You are a limited edition, once in a lifetime version and you are meant to be exactly as you are. There will never be another you. This is the way on our extraordinary planet, every creature is individual, distinct from its herd or colony.

I killed a spider when I was younger, they scare me, and I remember my Mum being quite cross and explaining that there would never be a spider exactly like that one on the planet ever again. Apply this mentality to your life. There will never be another you again and you cannot turn back time. You can do and be anything you want, but if you are going to be anything be kind. Be tolerant. Be accepting of others. Embrace difference. Allow it to excite you. Accept what is familiar and what is new.  To do otherwise stunts our growth and blinkers our eyes. It limits our thinking and leads to ignorance. Ignorance leads to intolerance, prejudice and hate.

I go back to how awful life would be if we were all the same.

 

Miss Tottman

Assistant Headteacher

St Birinus School