To be perfectly honest, If the pandemic did not happen: I would still be the same close-minded 15 years old Andrea. I would still be someone who lacks empathy for others, someone who plays the blind eye when it comes to others, and overall: someone who do not like something she can not understand. I agree with the quotation “Broadening your perspective can be life enhancing”, because the second I become open-minded was the moment I was genuinely happy.
I adopted the Socratic method for my debates but little did I know it could also help me enhance myself by questioning more to learn more. I am glad I question almost everything as I know that way I could learn more from other people. I can take my perspectives on LGBTQ+ community, years apart as an example. A few years ago, I was this religious girl who bases her perspective on the bible; I was against same sex marriage even though I have friends who are members of the LGBTQ+ Community. But when I started questioning the bible, I was introduced to new knowledges about them, their sides, their sufferings caused by people like me who deprived them of basic human rights. Me questioning everything made me broaden my perspective and made me self-reflect about how I've been so close-minded I'm hurting people around me for a God that even I am not sure truly exists. I was not happy.
Having myself understand the LGBTQ+ Community also means questioning myself for the things I've done towards them, but then again: contemplating on the past will not do both sides any good so I decided to just enhance my life by becoming a better version of myself. And right now, the 2021 version of Andrea Medallada is fighting for equality to end discrimination and to attain rights the LGBTQ+ Community deserves. I might look like a hypocrite to others for doing so but I am now not afraid of changing my stand on things when presented brand-new informations.
These events might have been one of the highlights of my life. I was able to enhance myself, be empathetic to others, be more open-minded, and even now likes to know more about certain things I can not understand. I’m glad.