The return to a life where travel is safer and easier has a lot of folks packing their bags and taking to international skies. The act of escaping the concept of borders is one we should all embrace. Though we live in a time of sovereign states, we also live in a time where it’s important to put borders aside and connect as humans inhabiting the same planet. Stories do that best in my experience, and nothing beats a face-to-face story.
I was reminded of this fact when a friend made her way from San Diego to Lisbon and we met for lunch a few days ago. I had the pleasure of working with Rachel as she was preparing for her talk at TEDxTijuana in 2018. As you’ll hear, she is a self-proclaimed borderlander who splits her personal and professional time between the United States and Mexico. Rachel was blessed to discover the benefits of blending cultures during her formative years and evolved into a proponent for crossing borders of all types.
She speaks about the power of evolving minds and building relational capital, of being wired for the future, and of living expansively. She also touches upon the need to cross everyday boundaries, even if that’s a scary proposition. As this unsettled world of ours gradually drifts further apart, splitting at the culture seams that should bind us, I have been asking people about a time when they have crossed a border - physical, cultural, religious, political, etc. What I hear are tales about growth, understanding, empathy. Lisbon is like that. A crossroads, a vortex, a melting pot that attracts wayward souls.
Their stories testify to our shared human experience, but too often their stories reside inside gathering dust instead of being shared with a world now in need of connection, not separation. I’m pretty sure that if you dig through your experiential archives you’ll unearth a story rich with insights, and transformation. As Rachel notes, it might have been scary, but growth is often that way. Remember, the grace of sharing your stories is that anyone hearing them can weave the threads of your wisdom into their journey.
Are there borders, walls or divisions that you’ve successfully crossed along the way? Might those experiences become the kernel of a personal story that you can share?