There is a part of us humans that is a tourist. Tourism is all about observation, experiencing. A tourist is someone who knows that there is limited time, and a whole world to see, and who wants to make the most of the opportunity.
We can be very selfish creatures, gathering resources to ourselves, and depriving others of what they need. We can use our touristic side to counteract this selfishness. When we meet other people, for instance, we can become psychological explorers, taking a great interest in their thoughts and feelings, listening carefully, trying to learn something new.
This can be very helpful to others if they are suffering from lack of attention. By asking them questions, and treating them as important to us, we can offer them a sense of being the special beings they truly are. This is not just idle curiosity, it is active interest. We may wish to join them on some of the journeys they undertake.
This is very much the attitude I take when meeting other human beings, whether it is to offer them counselling and psychotherapy, or simply friendship. I feel that I have arrived on another planet, where things happen slightly differently. My job is to learn, not to colonise. I am very grateful for the opportunity to meet so many different people from all walks of life.
Just for today, we can take an active interest in the world around us, as though we had just arrived on a different planet. We can treat everyone and everything we meet as special in its own way. We can bring our curious minds, our inner tourist. Not only will life become more of an adventure, but our relationships may improve too.
Remindful UK 