It's All About Perspective

Today we spoke with Holocaust survivor Bob Behr, who was so kind to share his personal experiences during such a horrific moment in human history. His words made me reflect not only on the cruelties endured by so many during the Holocaust, but also on the countless other instances of human violence and persecution ongoing today. There is so much human suffering in the world, and frankly it overwhelms me at times.

But the main thing I learned from Mr. Behr today wasn’t about suffering, and it wasn’t even about the Holocaust. Instead, it was about putting life into perspective.

This man, who lost his childhood and his freedom, who endured forced labor and the threat of imminent death, was sitting in front of me pouring out nothing but knowledge and kindness.  Instead of breeding hate, he spoke of a brighter future. He even cracked some jokes about moving to the U.S. and choosing between “the cowboys of Dallas and the gangsters of Chicago” on his immigration forms. Mr. Behr embodies optimism, and today more than ever I am inspired to gain some altitude in my own perspective.

I am only twenty-one years old and on my first leg of life; I have so much growing yet to do. I see my progression since I first got to college and how much I’ve matured in my years at OSU –I’m so thankful for all of that, but truthfully, even Columbus is a bubble, and choosing to step away from my routine was one of the best decisions I’ve made. If I could take one thing away from my first two months in Washington, it’s that life should be a constant growing experience.

I haven’t felt this far out of my comfort zone in years, and sometimes it’s scary to feel like I’ve retreated so much from how in control I felt in Columbus. At the same time, I’ve learned that if you embrace that feeling, you’ll not only eventually make it go away but you’ll have gained valuable perspective.

It’s no secret that WAIP has some busy weeks between interning, classwork, and program activities. But if I had any advice, it would be to take time every day to reflect on the positive aspects of everything we do here. It’s so easy to get caught up on bad weather, a long day at work, class work, or missed opportunities if you let yourself. But the more I remind myself of all the amazing opportunities I’ve had because of WAIP and the small, incremental steps I’ve taken toward personal growth, the more I allow myself to experience more. The less I let stress in, the more time I have to “say yes” (a WAIP motto!) to trying new things – be it happy hour at one of the many top-rated restaurants in DC, exploring a different neighborhood, or walking by the monuments at night.   The truth is that little incremental steps every day amount to a lot of gained perspective at the end of four months. DC has so much to offer and who knows when (or if) you’ll come back. “Say yes” to every opportunity you have, and there is no doubt you’ll leave this city with a more positive perspective on life.

- Maria Vlasie