As I walk through the streets of the city I see so much.
Do you know what I see?
I see “homeless” people. “Homeless” people, possibly even begging. Do you know why there “homeless”? I bet you think you do.
I see "rich people”. Well they must be “rich” and “snobby” if they can throw their money around on Michigan Ave. with no troubles and no worries. Or maybe they could just be somebody like my daughter, walking to school or work scraping together pennies, trying to make ends meet and doing the best they can.
“Ugly people”
“Scary people”
“Stupid people”
“Drunks”
“Drug addicts”
“Junkies”
and the list goes on. “Ugly”, “scary”, “stupid” and so on? To me at least and probably to everyone else. To me? Why? Because that’s what I think, or thought.
Why does what I think give me the power to apply a label to someone, based on the cover.
“Ugly”. How fair is that? Maybe to me, but I am just one person. And when did I forget the truth is, true beauty is way more than appearance.
“Stupid”? How do I know?! Is there a big label on that person? Or did I just throw one at them?
“Scary”? Why? Did they jump out of an alley and scare me? Or do they just initially display some of the other labels I so loosely throw around.
“Drunk”, “drug addict”, or “junkie”? What are those? “Worthless, “weak”, “stupid” people who can’t get their life together? More labels.
I QUIT!
Those and many others are the labels and judgments I so desperately did not want anyone to stick to my baby brother. First impression could warrant a judging label sticker like myself, to cover him with labels, based on his book cover.
My baby brother Brad. Died at age 36. He was 6”1, covered in tattoos and he died of a drug overdose.
What label does your brain give to that? But, did you even care to know that:
He bought and read over 300 books, most of which I could never even pick up and get through the first page of.
He played bass guitar, wrote music, sang and played in bands.
He put a smile on countless peoples faces.
He made two beautiful, smart and talented children.
He loved animals, especially rabbits.
He tried to improve the world by starting with himself. He cared about the environment and did his part to try to lessen his effect on it.
He was completely content to ride a bicycle to anywhere he needed to go. Yes, he had a license, but he loved to ride his bike.
He could draw pictures, write songs, and more.
He studies every religion, by choice.
He sat in on college courses, for fun.
His wit and his intelligence were shocking. Just when you think you knew everything, you found out there was even so much more.
So smart, so talented, so loved by everyone who knew him.
But, his book cover,
6’ 1”
200+ lbs
dark hair and a beard with a white patch in it
pierced ear, pierced lip
LOTS of tattoos
regular average clothes, probably even a punk rock band shirt
died of a drug overdose.
Well?
I will NEVER label again.
I will NEVER judge a book by it’s cover again.
How dare I expect others to not judge and label when I so often did.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa
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