There are questions we ask ourselves over our lifetime that are rhetorical. We know the answer but just want to hear someone, anyone, tell us what we want to hear rather than need to hear. I know that I'm fat physically. Emotionally, I'm not sure. I'm not a "fat cat" as far as someone who has a lot of money. However, I do live in the realm of "fat chance." most of the time. So, the question is answerable both ways. Yes and no. How did this question get so complicated? I'd say there is a fat chance of finding out. But I'll try to chew the fat and provide some insight.
I'm not quite concerned about "me" as some people say they are. It's not that I actually want people to see negative in me. Rather, it's just as simple as not caring for what those who don't care have to say. It's a measuring stick of sort. Should someone "care" about me, I'll gladly listen with my heart. If the "care" is about them, who cares? If you truly care about me your statements about me rank higher than those who don't care. Again, if I am not seen as a good reflection of you, it's not my problem. As long as people are self centered there are those who are shunned just because they don't fit the right demographics.
When we really begin to live life we start with a reflection of our parents values and priorities. As we become more and more individual, we begin to tell the world to look at me separate from anyone else. Assumptions surrounding who I am are made constantly. Being fat is just one way. I have disabled license plates. Until I get out of my truck people see a healthy whole human being getting away with parking in the handicapped space in front of the store. All the while they are relegated to parking in the back 40. Some parts of me are even more invisible. My hearing is grossly impaired. People assume that I can hear normally because I don't wear hearing aids. I have visual problems but people don't see those either when I go without glasses. What really boggles their minds is when I park in the handicapped space, ignore their comments and looks of disdain, and get out of the truck with my brace on my left knee and leg and using my cane.
Suddenly people are forced into seeing me outside of their particular viewing point of life. No one apologizes for putting me in their box. They just move me to another box and go on with life. I do the same thing some of the time. Having my handicaps and bias, I go through my life trying to be more understanding. That wasn't so earlier in my life. Once upon a time I categorized fat people as not being responsible for their health. Skinny isn't wrong anymore than fat. What we are really seeking is fairness in the question we have asked. We want people to examine themselves without comparison to me, us, you. Just because we are different we are not wrong. Yet, that is exactly what prejudice produces in us. Somehow we are wrong because we are different.
Somewhere during life people (at least some) come to the conclusion that the world view isn't going to change for me. People need "me" to prove that they are more or better. "Compared to Steve I'm not fat." "Compared to Steve, I'm rich." And on and on... In the end all of us are answerable for ourselves alone. Perhaps this can be accelerated and we can live our lives without needing me to make you feel better. Wouldn't it be nice if we weren't seen as "wrong"? This doesn't take away our individuality nor our preferences. I am a Christian. You may not be. That's the way we have chosen for whatever reason we have used to come to that conclusion. Perhaps today you and I and everyone else reading this will be more graceful with others.
No comments:
Post a Comment