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Featured Article – First Impressions by I recently travelled to a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit several different countries of various cultures in one trip. In high school, I wasn’t fond of history and elected to study geography instead. So I had some idea where the countries were located but not much about their history. In my adult years I’ve become more interested in world history and especially biblical history. In these days you can learn so much about a country by watching the news on CNN or BBC. Even so, you still formulate in your mind an impression or opinion of what the country looks like, or how the people live. Sometimes first impressions can be a true impression but many times they are not. It’s funny how our minds that are capable of brilliance can be so finite. By this I mean, we tend to judge a place by looking at its exterior or a person by their appearance. In Bermuda where I live, we are closest to the of to and larger cars and trucks. In most cases it seems to be a status symbol and a way of life. The bigger the vehicle, the more expensive the vehicle the better. It doesn’t matter who the person is behind the steering wheel, the first impression is the exterior of the vehicle. Then there’s the lavish homes that are springing up all over the place and even in with the first impression. You’re considered important if you have a big home or nice home. Doesn’t matter what type of person lives in it. So needless to say, when I arrived in the ports of big cars and limos. To my surprise I did not see many. I saw mostly small to midsize cars and lots of scooters and mopeds. I felt at home as they were similar to the size cars we have in like many that I saw is not good. Having a shiny clean car is a status symbol in the person driving the vehicle is. Sometimes our first impressions tell us that we don’t like something or someone even before we’ve said one single word to them. I feel this is a basis for some of the strife between the nations today. Suppose the first time you met me I was wearing a colour you didn’t particularly like. You’re first impression could be that you don’t like me. We each need to check ourselves because this is a real problem. In impression of the crowded city of high rise apartments with clothes hanging outside of windows was not very favourable. I’m so thankful that I took a tour and had a Turkish guide who spoke English. There was so much history to be said about was then able to understand why the city was so crowded and was glad to learn a little about their culture. In Kusadasi again we had a Turkish guide who spoke English. One place we visited was the ancient city of had the most awesome experience standing in the Great Theatre where knowledgeable and again my perspective changed from my first impression of Kusadasi. At the end of the tour the guide told us that he was muslim but respected Christianity. He reminded us that there is one God. Just because we don’t have the same beliefs in Jesus Christ, doesn’t mean that we cannot communicate with one another. Kusadasi was one of the best places I visited on the trip. Now if I hadn’t taken the tour with an English speaking guide, I probably would have said I didn’t like first impression. I could go on and give you several other first impression examples of my trip but I only want to make a point. First impressions can sometimes give us unintentional false impressions about a person or place. It can cause division, disharmony and many prejudices. So it’s important to get to know more about a person or place you are visiting. As the popular saying goes, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’. ================================================================= Inspiration, Motivation, and Gratitude, a resource to help you find your true purpose in life. |
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