Diversity of Experience
Our pride focus this term is Diversity. We often talk or hear about aspects of diversity such as ethnicity or culture, strengths or talents, age or gender. Today I want to talk about diversity of experience, starting with sharing a quote from Robin Williams - one of the most gifted entertainers ever known who spread joy to others while carrying his own struggles. He said -
“Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, be kind, always.”
Every single one of us has a totally unique life experience - no one has ever walked the path we are each walking, not even the people in your family, or your very best friends. Everyone experiences things in their own way. Sometimes this is called the ‘invisible backpack’ - the stuff people carry which impacts them - whether those impacts are big or small, positive or negative.
No two backpacks are the same - everyone’s is unique. Even in this room, backpacks will have a huge variety of things in them.
For some, they’re adjusting to a brand new school, or this is the largest school they’ve ever been in. Some might be carrying learning struggles, social struggles or neurodiversity. Some people in this room are further away from home than they’ve ever been, in a foreign country with noone they know. Some of your days might include loneliness, friendship struggles, or the pressure of popularity or achievement.
Other people have home stuff to carry - money worries, family dynamics to navigate, illness, stressed adults, responsibility for siblings or domestic tasks.
It’s not just negative stuff we put in our backpacks - we carry the good stuff too. Our team’s success in a game or event, pride in reaching a goal or milestone or being brave enough to try something new. Maybe it’s excitement about an upcoming event.
We all carry an abundance of ‘stuff’ in our backpack which impacts us in different ways, whether you choose to share what’s in it or not. Before I finish, I want to remind you that as young people learning to navigate the diversity of your experience, there is support available to you - for example you’re lucky to have access to our guidance team here at school.
So when you walk out of these doors to get on with your day, I want you to keep in mind that you don’t need to know what’s in everyone else’s backpack, you just need to decide that you won’t be the reason it gets heavier.
Be kind, always