I will never be a rock star. I will never search for a cure for cancer. I will never be a major league baseball player. I will never be President. If I had a dollar for every time someone labeled me I would REALLY be rich. I am OK with that and many of you are glad I am not President, huh? Who and what I am today though is a product of who I have been and what I have done. I suppose we are all like that. Throughout my almost 50 years - I have been called a lot of things - this past week (all in one week mind you) I have been called brilliant, stupid, caring, aloof, articulate, on point. I have been told that I confabulate, that I always tell the truth, that I am hurtful, that I am kind. All of those different characteristics are how people see me. I see myself a little different.
I once played a musical instrument - but as for real talent - well most of you know I have little. I once was a baseball player that lacked real talent, I tried - but no success. Hard science is for really smart people - not me - I am just quick. However, I was pretty good in college liberal arts, intended to finish law school and then go into politics - but learned money matters to get there and money matters even more when life happens. So while those didn't end up like I wanted in my youth, the words people used to describe me this past week are not really me either. When you first read those descriptors - you noticed that they were diametrically different . I am also sure you realized those words came from different people - some of whom think they know me, some of whom really should know me and some of whom know they really don't know me at all. The real truth is I am none of those descriptors in totality - but more of a combination of some of them - others of them are so far off it is almost laughable. However, in today's life of sound bites and "gotchaisms" who I really am does not matter. What matters to others is how they see me. That used to matter to me. Nowadays - it matters little.
On a good day, I am pretty funny and keep people smiling. On a bad day, I am pretty funny and I just keep to myself. On a good day I can be charming and I show off. On a bad day I can be charming and I just keep to myself. On a good day I tell the truth and I share the purpose. On a bad day I tell the truth but I just keep it to myself. Everyone has good and bad - part of life. A 'good" day for me is you "see" me - a "bad" day is when I won't let you "see" me. Trouble is when people see you - they simply do not know which day you are on. Trouble with me is if someone judges me and labels me - I just let them. I sometimes just exacerbate the label with even more outlandish stereotypes. Then at the end I just laugh and wonder what the other person is thinking after the conversation. We all get labeled - like it or not. How you deal with it makes you who you are.
I was labeled as child, as a teenager, as a young man, as a man in his prime and even still today as I approach AARP level. One thing I have learned over these almost 50 years, labels bother most people, especially when the label they are given is different than how they see themselves. I was bothered by some this past week, but I won't confront the people who did. Why won't I you ask? If you know me, you realize it is not for a lack of words, a lack of wit, or a lack of gall. So what is it? The answer is the same as the way I started this page - I will never be what I dreamed of as child- being someone who stands out. I will never be able to change perception - I have just learned to accept it. On a good week, I can change your mind and do. On a bad week, I can change your mind, but I just keep to myself. So if you see yourself in today's blog - ask yourself - how would you label yourself now? Are you a left leaning pointy headed liberal? A staunch conservative with high morals and looking out for our Country? Are you a Christian who looks down on others? Are you lost in your spirituality and are wondering? Are you lazy and stupid or diligent and smart? Do you know? Does it matter? As for me telling you - good luck with that - let me know how it goes.....then again you might catch me on a good week - either way I am laughing at the labels....
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