Within Limits

There are so many of them. It may be the line extending between two countries that someone decided to draw on the map before you were born. Either mixed feelings which you cannot simply put into words or confusion comparable to falling down the rabbit hole, like in one of L. Carroll’s books- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But, sadly, you hit so many problems that you do not feel like Alice going to the Wonderland at all. You are more likely to feel like a tramp, adolescent or one of the crowd. What things have so many shades and have such a strong impact on us? It is the boundaries which are responsible for our anxieties and worries.

Why to draw a line?
The first question that springs to my mind is: are boundaries really essential? What have they been created for? I cannot find a straightforward answer to that. We may say that boundaries help us to encompass things, also the ones that are beyond our grasp. But that could also mean that the human being cannot encompass and create them by himself, cannot stop them just in the right moment. After all, who is in charge of imposing the boundaries and rights? If we are all equal why does someone decide where to draw the line on the map?

There must be some mistake here
From the chemical viewpoint, the human body consists of many organic and mineral elements and, largely, water. So which of these elements are to blame for creating prejudices and stereotypes? Our body organs do not create them, as they do not really have that faulty feature. Where did it all go wrong? Well, some of them came with our upbringing and anchored from the very beginning.
Prejudices are not inborn and that means that this is my decision what attitude I have. Since there is no biological background that justifies producing them in my body it is up to me to decide if I’m going to give somebody a hand or turn my back and go away pretending that I do not see him. Whether to lean towards disabled person or to take a superior position- these decisions will not only build up my identity, but also a picture of Europe, either full of prejudices and borders, or free and without unnecessary boundaries.

Ways and means
If we take a closer look we will see that boundaries lie also in possibilities. However, it turns out that seemingly impassable ways can be open for anyone who will try to cross them. And quoting Audrey Hepburn- -impossible says “I’m possible”. Reaching a peak of the mountain or a pole by disabled person is a shining example of that. What is more, this should be a lesson of humbleness for us, who see countless boundaries in every area of life. Therefore, where there is a will there is a way.

Escaping the borders
Naturally, as the boundaries have this tendency to surround, it is not a piece of cake to get out of them. The worst are those mental and social ones. Mental boundaries can make us feel like a foreigner among our compatriots and even family members. According to Zofia Nałkowska, social confines make from what is a floor for one a wall for one another(The Frontier).Unfortunately, our social status translates into human relations and builds another barriers…

First step
We cannot guess how a human would act without any borders. In all probability they have been created for a particular reason and some of them play an useful role in the society. However, other lines should be jumped over. Barrier crossing is one of the greatest problem, since we have to change our mind, be humble enough and eager to do it. The fact is, if we dare to start we will start screaming “Let’s jump!” more and more often.