Many people in the world have their basic physical needs (food, clothing, and shelter) met. Yet, when these necessities are satisfied, what’s the next level? We crave acceptance.
I have been
active on social media for about eight months now. My narrow view of the world
has expanded to the point where some of my former attitudes seem
incomprehensible. Compared to my previous world vision, my current vision could
be described as x-ray. I am not the critical person who believed there was only
one right way to act, think, or speak. Aside from that, I still operate under a
traditional value system.
Two of my
most well-received blog posts have related to the importance of being accepted and
nurtured by other people and God. It’s obvious acceptance is a subject close to
our hearts. We don’t all worship, dress, read and write, or accomplish jobs at
the same level. Yet, nobody wants to feel marginalized because they don’t have
the knowledge, physical or mental capability, interest, or resources needed to
live up to someone else’s expectations.
My Family
This is my
son, J. D., dressed up as the anime character, Shiroe. He enjoys anime music,
videos, and conventions. We have had deep discussions about the characters,
messages, and animation of various movies and series. Still, I am not nearly as
involved in the genre as he is.
Here is my daughter, Caitlin, dressed up for “Wacky Tacky Day” at her high school. In the
same manner as her brother, she appreciates anything anime. However, as you can
see by the picture, she values silliness even more. She loves to laugh at
herself and others. Although I crave laughter, too, I am more reserved than my
daughter.
My Conclusion
We’re all in
this together. It doesn’t matter what label we wear:
- extrovert or introvert
- full of fear or anger
- conservative or flashy
- depressed or bubbly
- religious or atheist
- hotheaded or even-tempered
- well educated or a high-school dropout.
Gideon was
young. David was a shepherd boy. Elijah was depressed. Ruth was a foreigner.
Yet, God used all of them. Even today,
what we all have in common is a desire for acceptance. People who are
supportive are likely to be supported in return. It’s a give and take
situation.
Who are you
going to accept today?
All too true, Traci. The biggest problem is wanting acceptance or 'to be good enough' to certain people whose opinion means the most. Unfortunately, all too often, it takes a long time to figure out it isn't going to happen. When I realized that with certain family members it hurt, but it led me to something better. I've always been a Christian, but that's when I understood I had was accepted by the most important 'person' in the world. Life's been much better since that epiphany. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Sandra. Thanks so much for your comments! I hear you about wanting acceptance from people whose opinion means the most. Unfortunately, not even loved ones are always willing/able to give us support. Like you said, we're accepted by God; that's what counts.
DeleteThanks Traci an insightful blog post as always ... I think that we all want to be loved and praised as individuals and to be proved to have accomplished things
ReplyDeleteHi, Heys! I appreciate your comments! We do want our accomplishments to be acknowledged, even if they might not seem be as earth-shaking as someone else's triumphs. It's not about competition and comparison; it's about each person doing his/her best.
DeleteI was judgemental earlier this decade about everything and everybody! and then, I joined Art of Living, a yoga training session run by Shri Ravishankar and I was taught to accept people as they are!
ReplyDeleteInitially it was really a challenge to accept people as they are, but now i am used to it. Lovely post Traci.
Hi, Ajay! Thanks for your insightful comments! Many of us need to learn to be more accepting; however, it's a difficult lesson to learn. The natural inclination is to favor only those who are like us.
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