Fall In Love With The World Again
How many minutes a day do you spend staring at a screen?
Probably a lot- everything is centered on your phone, your computer or TV. That little screen is our window into the world; it holds our social lives, memories, personal lives, endless amounts of information, news, and the happenings of the world. Or does it?
As a young adult who is leaving her teen years behind, I have come to realize how much a little screen has controlled my life. I have networked, learned, worked and entertained myself with a screen. I never leave my house without my laptop or iPhone. BECAUSE, IF I FORGET THEM, THE WORLD WILL END.
I should tell you, I’ve learned a mystical secret from the deep heart of Africa: the world cannot be grasped on a screen.
I have traveled the world and let me tell you, no laptop, iPhone, iPad, Kindle or human-made device can describe the true essence of the world. You need to experience it yourself. Every smell, taste, touch, sight and sound is unique; it’s what makes up our amazing earth. Being in Africa has opened my eyes to how amazing the world is, and I wish that people could sense the same. Because for those of you who haven’t been here, the only image of Africa you may have is what you hear on the news–what’s on the screen. What you see unfortunately doesn’t share the complete wealth of what Africa truly is. Africa is Boko Haram, starvation and rhino poaching, but it’s also loving people, great cuisine and animal conservation. Although we can’t all be world travellers, it makes me sad that we spend our money on the newest device for what could be the same price of an airplane ticket. You need to open your mind and make decisions for yourself, based on what YOU experience.
Being out here has changed how I look at the world. I realize that the media has guided our judgment of the world. Only YOU can put true and personal opinion upon what is happening in the world if YOU experience it. Coming here, and starting this internship, I didn’t realize how horrible the reality of rhino poaching truly is. There isn’t a lot of news about rhino poaching in the states, so I was very ignorant. I also have had friends ask me, “With making a documentary, are rhinos going to be personable? They don’t seem like they can cause emotion or relate to us.” The rhinos I have met have great personalities; they are curious, sweet and playful. There is not a lot of information we can access on the internet about rhinos, so it is difficult for people to not believe the fallacy that they are emotionless prehistoric creatures. I have also experienced a great community here, which many people would not believe because of the negative social media that has shined a light on problems with South Africa and its communities. Most people that I have met have a wide, smiling face and genuine heart. Although my journey is not complete here, I will be taking away amazing memories, gaining lifelong friends, and having a different perspective of the world that we live in.
The whole point is that people need to fall in love with the world again. Everything is so unique, so amazing. If people were to open their eyes, I mean really open their eyes to the world; they would see how incredible it is! Think about it, we live on a planet that surprises us every single day… how cool is that? Be the judge on what the world is about.
I challenge you, turn off the screen, go outside and see the world. See it for what it is and embrace what the world has to offer us! Fall in love with the world, not the screen!
-Lianna Nixon