It means that you are humble, brave and curious enough to admit that each person born is unlike anyone who has ever lived or ever will; even identical twins have different fingerprints, and there is true wisdom and beauty in recognizing that everyone has something different to bring to the table with their unique viewpoint.
In Finland, many people actually ask me about my perspective, especially about the politics currently in the United States. Since my classmates hail from 15 nations, including Syria and South Korea, and also because Finland has a varied history with their neighboring Russia (although currently I think that the relationship between Finland and Russia is very good!), the actions of the United States impact the every day lives of my classmates and many other people around the world. Imagine how important it is to appreciate the perspective of other people as a representative of the U.S.! It is a unique and difficult position to be in right now.
I love to listen to the perspectives of my classmates, sometimes over coffee and pulla, a Finnish treat, or even tacos and a DC movie! In these casual settings, we feel comfortable sharing our true feelings about communism, dictatorships, genocide and peace. Although you can truly appreciate different perspectives no matter where you are on earth, the further you get from home, the more that you will realize there are viewpoints you have never considered or might conflict directly with what you have been taught to believe. Here in Finland, 6,000 miles from home, my favorite thing to do is listen - listen to voices I have never heard, to perspectives I had never considered.
