Inclusion (The One with Sarah and Phil Kay(e))

"As much as I think that words are beautiful, I guess they also hurt."

That was something I wrote today in class that Sarah (Kay) quoted as being something different for her - a new perspective. And I sure have gained what seems like a dozen spoonfuls of new perspectives this weekend. I learned of a lovely sixteen-year-old Afghan who came to Malaysia 7 years ago as a refugee not knowing a single word of English but now writes and performs poetry beautifully. I learned of Ravi's forbidden love with Neha. I learned that someone else also wishes she's a better mother. I learned that revenge tastes like that bitter cup of coffee left out cold a little too long. And then I learned of us; of diversity, of "inclusion".

There were about twenty of us in the workshop today - from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Canada. We did not know each other. But today, in that class, we were bare and open. We shared our favourite words, our thoughts, our feelings and the things we knew to be true. Not just with Sarah and Phil. But with each other.

Words are indeed beautiful.