The Magic of Perspective

By Kayla Aldrich, Read to Them Staff

Hello, all! Congratulations — you made it halfway through the week! Though we’re sad to be nearly finished with Dragons in a Bag, we’ve still got plenty of Jaxon’s adventure left to go.

Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin.

In chapter ten, Trub and Jaxon have arrived in the magic realm. It’s revealed by Trub that many believe the magic and the mundane should remain separate, while many think the two worlds should merge. Jaxon, however, offers up a third option: a bridge between the two worlds that would satisfy the wants of both parties.

This is not something Trub has likely considered before. Why? More than likely it’s due to Trub standing too close to the problem at hand and sometimes, in doing this, your view can become very limited. Trub goes on to tell Jaxon, on page 117: “That’s just what we need, Jax - middle ground. See, that’s why we need young folks like you on board. We need fresh ideas and a new way of looking at things.”

Sharing ideas with others, especially if you’re stuck trying to come up with a solution, can promote understanding. It can be helpful to have an outside perspective, you know! Sure, it’s often scary opening up to someone, but by inviting others to offer their ideas and opinions, you’re expanding. You’re moving beyond your own experiences and learning that there are more positions to take than the one you hold.

Understanding the perspective of others helps encourage diversity and empathy, too. What would the world look like if we all had the same thoughts and ideas? Pretty bleak, right? And if we weren’t able to step into someone else’s shoes, we’d have a hard time trying to grasp even the most basic feelings if we’ve never experienced them ourselves. Have an open mind! Don’t be afraid to seek out more than just one side to every story.

You may think that due to your age, you don’t know enough to speak up, but that’s not true at all. No matter how small or young, you should let your voice be heard! No one else is like you and no one else can stand in your shoes: your point of view is unique, valuable, and deserves to be spoken aloud. Speak kindly and from the heart, and you will go far, my friend.

Thank you for your participation so far, and I hope you’ll stick around in wrapping up the read this Friday. Have something to add to the Magic of Perspective, or any of the other cool themes and happenings of Dragons in a Bag? Talk about it on your Flipgrid page! In the meantime, be gentle to one another and to yourselves.

Happy reading!