Open your heart and you may find a hidden gem

HAVE you ever visited a new city and wandered into a restaurant you normally wouldn't choose, only to discover it was a hidden gem? Or perhaps picked up a book with low expectations, only to find yourself completely absorbed in its pages? Or maybe spoken with someone you didn’t think you'd connect with, only to finish feeling refreshed, hopeful, and reminded of the beauty of human connection.

- Faith Jerome Edwards

I think we can agree, these moments have a few things in common.

There's often a quiet disregard for the new and unknown. Naturally, if we are to have our own way we'll chose the path well-travelled and only speak to those we know best, as it’s uncomfortable if a place, person, or experience is not as we would have hoped: “Why would I take a risk?”

As a result, we make snap calls, even before giving the alternatives a fair chance.