In my day-to-day work at Bonnies, it’s such a privilege to get to know people from all walks of life. Every day I am surprised by their stories, their life experiences, the way they think, their skills and talents.

It’s so easy to make assumptions about people. We live in a world where we are judged not only on the way we look, but on the clothes we wear, the colour of our hair and skin, our family origins, the people we hang around, our values, our religious beliefs and our differences. The list could go on and on. Learning to stop and really try and see things through the eyes of someone different from ourselves is hard work.

I did some training recently on how to work inclusively with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and communities, and I came across this short video which I wanted to share.

Its message is so clear and simple – we all have our own struggles and challenges. Sometimes we’re a caterpillar and sometimes we’re a snail.

“A lot of the time it can be hard to see what someone else deals with because you’ve never been in their shoes (or shell). I don’t know what it’s like to be you and you don’t know what it’s like to be me. So it’s really important to stop and try and see the other side so we can help each other overcome those obstacles. Together.”

The reality is no matter how much we strive for sameness, we are all different and that’s great.

Written by Carolina