Labels Schmabels

I am fairly laid back and like let people find their own groove in life. As long as they don't interfere with my groove, everything is cool. But the one thing that that annoys me to no end...something that lessens the quality of all of our lives, is relying upon labels in order to understand others.

It can be insulting, rude, and ignorance is never a good thing. Ever.

I'm not saying we shouldn't identify people according to some agreed upon standard. That would be silly. Labels in general help us communicate and to manage the chaos. Knowing what a person does for a living, what their political leanings are, or getting their view of religion can communicate volumes....but we can't stop there.

Our culture is getting lazy and we tend to just slap a label on the forehead of a person and place them in a box thinking we totally get them. People think they know me, but I have to wonder if they really do. How many of the so-called "friends" in our lives have taken the time to truly understand who we are...not according to their own opinions and expectations, but from our perspective?

I cannot tell you how many times I've had people assume things about me that leave me baffled. No, I don't correct them any more...if they really cared, they would take the time to find the truth. I'm so not wasting the energy on them if they aren't willing to expend any energy on me.

Because I'm a Christian people assume that I love James Dobson, I'm a right-wing fanatic, I hate gays, and that science scares me. This happens so often now that I have learned to just shake my head laugh to myself.

Because I am a perpetual jokester some people think I must not be very bright and never take anything seriously. Whatever.

And one of my all time faves: because I am so laid back, I need guidance on how I should run my life. Puhlease!

The list goes on and on...and on.

I'm guilty of judging the book by its cover too, and I'm the first to admit it. When I met my husband he was the biggest nerd I had ever seen (Okay, he still is...). He thinks calculus is relaxing, that gadgets are the epitome of cool, and studied chemical physics because it was interesting.

Naturally, I thought he'd have no interest in a social science major who loves art and has a shoe addiction. He was a nerd and I didn't even know what the square root of Pi was (nor did I care). But I was incorrect. There is so much more to him than his love of science and other brainiac endeavors. Taking the time to get to know him has been one of the smartest things I've ever done.

It all worked out for the best with my husband, but now I try very hard to look past what people are and try to see who they are.

It would be way cool if people would do the same for me and everyone else out there.

Thanks.