The Realist Idealist

My friend Asheen - who I’ve never met in person, but whom I respect greatly through a list-serve on which we both engage - sent this photo out today. His title: “An alternate universe.”

He wrote this in accompaniment:

” Attached is a picture I came across when going through some old photos from India. I took this in a little farming village outside of Mumbai in which my family owns a few acres of land…

Take a moment and look around you — especially those of you who are Stateside. My surroundings could not look more different from the reality in this picture (he is in Boston). Makes me reflective of what it is to be an American, upper-middle-class suburban house dweller…”

The list that we participate on is called the “Change the World Team” full of social entrepreneurs, nonprofit and development professionals, techies, and general realist-idealists.  His call was essentially to stop amidst all our emailing and “doing” and reflect on just what much of the rest of the world often looks and feels like.  Something we may have seen but all too often forget.

I’ve spent the last hour going through photos of my own from various parts of the world reflecting out he sights, smells and feelings and how those senss are in many ways what motivates me to do what I do ever day.

Something I should do more often.  Maybe we all should.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the social media flying all around us that until pausing and intentionally reflecting, it can be challenging to keep that in our day to day consciousness.

What are some of the things that y’all do to get re-inspired and connected to the true reason behind your work?