On one of my long drives recently, I was listening to the Smartless episode featuring Willem Dafoe.

He shared a perspective that resonated with me. Although he’s American, he lives in Italy, making him an immigrant there. He mentioned that being an immigrant is a liberating experience for him, allowing him to see things from a distance, with an outsider’s perspective.

I’d never considered it, but it rings true for me as well. Being an immigrant in America, I have the unique vantage point to observe the absurdities, joys, and sorrows of this place, but from a distance. Having lived in another country gives me a completely different perspective, knowing how things could be elsewhere. I can never become too myopic here, as I never get too close to things. There is a sad yet liberating quality to it.