If the label wasn't on the can, how would we know what was inside? We might be hungry for chicken noodle soup, but open the can and get this instead:
And I am all for vegetables, but who wants green beans when the craving is for chicken noodle soup?
So labels are important for such things.
But what about people. Do we need to be labeled? I'm not sure that it's fair actually. Oftentimes we are labeled by our actions, so fairness doesn't come into play if the label comes from what others see us do, or say. It would stand to reason.
I think we need to be careful labeling people though. If the label comes from past actions, but this person is genuinely trying to become a better person, they won't feel they're getting very far if we can't see past the old label.
Getting to know someone is key.
I've talked about the art of conversation many times, I'm in love with it. Just simple words, strewn together in a string of sentences to accentuate who we are and how we feel about various subjects. Life. Love. How we treat others. How we treat our own family. Or our friends. What's important to us, what we're inspired by, what our passions are. What we aspire to be, and where we've already been. From favorite activities to work lives, to how we play, we could probably go on for hours talking about mundane things.
Maybe even with sharing our lives there are still labels being mentally printed out. I'm not sure.
But really, I don't think they're that necessary. I did wonder though, what would my label read if we were to wear them everyday on our clothes, for others to read, therefore eliminating the need for conversation.
"loves to read, take walks, help turtles cross the road, insert humor at every turn, take photos of the sunrise or sunset, watches movies, loves music but easy on the country genre please, fights for her friends,(metaphorically speaking), proud of her large extended family, is mesmerized by Fall and all it entails, loves the sound of a football game, and Starbucks, and gratitude, and text messages, and Breakfast At Tiffanys".....well I want to go on, but I dont think I have enough label room do I?
It cannot possibly be spelled out, everything about us, on a label we wear as sleeves every day, can it? We have to talk to each other to learn more.
Getting to know someone, asking questions, allowing the answers, listening. Rather than making assumptions on who we think the person is, or what they stand for.
Yes?
I'll see you soon friend,
Tiffany
PS Spring has sprung over North Texas, I'm sure we'll be seeing blue bonnets pop up everywhere soon. And you know what that means. Breakfast on the patio!
