I once saw a newspaper advertisement for a student travel company. It consisted simply of a picture of our planet and the words, “The best classroom you will ever study in”.

As I have come to the end of my current journey I think about this ad often.

I have just travelled to places far from my home, and into surroundings so different from my current everyday life, and thanks to this, I am further reminded that everything that we do is an opportunity for growth and everywhere we go is an invitation to expand our consciousness.

I am also reminded that each of us who walks this planet breaths oxygen, drinks water and requires nourishment.  We are all born into this life and each of us will eventually leave it.  We each feel pain and sorrow, and every one of us knows a moment of pure joy.

The more time I spend with souls who are “different” from me, the more I recognize and understand the beauty of the human spirit that ignites our hearts with passion, purpose and great love.

Let’s embrace this.