I blog quite
often about how everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. (Please see my
latest post on the subject here.)
We are all unique; yet, every individual is equally valuable.
Let’s use the
image above as an analogy: All of the animals in the picture above could be
classified as cute. Is the rabbit less worthy than the others because he is
bigger and might appear more awkward? His ears are larger than the other
animals, too. Should we make fun of him? How about that tiny, adorable hamster? Should
he be treasured less because he is smaller than the others?
You might
find the image cute and my analogy humorous. However, when we superimpose the
analogy onto humans, it’s anything but amusing. People do get devalued because of
their appearance. The object of derision can range from unique facial
characteristics to life-altering physical limitations.
How we Respect and
Help Each Other
The bottom
line is that individuals don’t always have the resources to effect change in their
lives. That gives others a prime opportunity to help them and learn patience. Through dealing with a variety of people we learn
important lessons:
- Every individual is important no matter if their looks, actions, resources, or capabilities vary from what society seems to accept.
- If a person appears to have weaknesses in one area, they are likely to have strengths in another.
Cindy
She is a friend who owns a small business. Recently, she hired a young man
who is challenged in certain areas. I’ll call him Chris. He comes from a
background of abuse, so he has low self-confidence. Additionally, Cindy found
out that Chris has difficulty reading and writing. It’s possible he is mentally
slow, too.
Chris wasn’t catching on to simple, yet important, duties. As a result, he
was endangering himself, his co-workers, and the clients. Cindy came up with
the idea to have Chris take pictures in order to capture important details. Problem
solved! The camera enables him to function more effectively in his job. He’s a
happy camper!
Cindy knew the best way to help Chris improve was to determine what was
holding him back, not get angry with him. She dealt with the young man from a
position of respect and acceptance. As a result, she established a win-win
situation. (Angry confrontations never lead to winning circumstances; they
backfire.) She even wants to give Chris
more hours!
My Conclusion
It’s possible, and necessary, to be respectful and accepting in all
situations. All of us have shortcomings that we may, or may not, be able to
overcome. That’s no excuse for some of
us to be arrogant. Similar to the animals in the photo, everyone is different.
Yet, all of us are equally worthy. Human beings come in all varieties:
- Light skin
- Dark skin
- In wheelchairs
- On crutches
- Tall
- Short
- Overweight
- Skinny
- Intelligent
- Mentally challenged.
Must we categorize people? We all contribute to a more diverse, inclusive
world. Why label?
How have you
been kind lately?
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