Diversity

by Rebecca Kimbel

One of the things I love most about California is its diversity. Our landscapes are as diverse as our thinking. Our art is as diverse as the nations who make up our population. Our religions are as diverse as our heritages and our thinking is as progressive as it is diverse.

The most obvious way to see our diversity is by driving through the state. California has great diversity in it’s scenery with grandiose redwood forests in the north and smoke tree decorated deserts in the south. The entire length of the state is kissed by the unforgettable beauty of the Pacific Ocean. The height and breadth of the mountains in Yosemite and the feeing of being on top of the world on the Pacific coast trail will be memories that will always enrich ones life. Go skiing at Mount Shasta and then continue on to the coast and enjoy the wonder of seeing ever green trees grow in one of the few places on earth where they grow out into the sea.

California offers diversity within its cultures and its people. Diversity has always provided a never ending source of creativity in the arts. Dance, music, paintings, photography, sculpture, theater and more, all thrive and continue to astound us with remarkable creativity which is ever enriched by our depth of diversity.

Opposites not only attract, they add dimension to out thinking, our experience and our future. They invite us into a world of different nationalities, different cultures, and different ways of seeing things. They provide the natural expansion of learning from many points of view, which enriches our understanding and ultimately finds all of us more similar than different.
We may paint intellectual pictures of our cultural beliefs in varying hues. The array of colors and the light they are shown in, as well as the artful presentation of each subject changes the way we see it, feel about it and deal with it in the future. Understanding different aspects of diversity and learning to see life from different perspectives increases our understanding of humanity and the world around us.

Contrast accentuates the appearance of any scene, circumstance or philosophy. Varying points of view stimulate advancement of thinking from science to the humanities. Diversity stimulates improvement of the things needed and enjoyed by all mankind. I love this state and I love the people in it. I never travel without feeling grateful upon my return, that I live in the rich and inviting diversity of California.

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