Can people be fooled?

The answer is of course they can—especially when people are out of touch with reality.  We too often only hear what we want to hear.  We ignore the messages that we are not interested in and we definitely ignore the messages that might possibly offer solutions.  Why you might ask?

That is easy.  We are animals of complacency and we are also people who have blinders on –

which means that we do not want to hear the messages that we believe do not serve our beliefs and/or our needs.  We are definitely stuck in our ways and are slow to change even when shown a better way.  Does any of this relate to you?

So what are you supposed to do to change that circus like atmosphere that tells us to laugh and sneer at those who oppose our stereotypes--our pre-judgmental philosophies that ridicule and abuse as though respect and self-respect have no place in our societies. 

I have a fear and stand-off approach to people with tattoos and piercings without well grounded reasoning or understanding.  I stand away from those who do not match my energy or physical appearance and still I preach empathy and compassion.  I must admit that I work diligently at trying to understand and accept those who appear different from me yet I remember the words of Jesus that said: “judge not if you do not want to be judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. ” and again. You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."

So I can say to you with compassion and hopefully understanding that I agree it is sometimes difficult to reach out my hand in a gesture of kindness and acceptance.  It may be an unending struggle as I try to figure it out but one thing I can sincerely say:  We are all children of the same one God and if one of my fellow friends and neighbors look or act or think differently from me, I now know that it is my responsibility to turn the other check, so to speak, and welcome them into my heart and soul.

I encourage you not to wait till you are face to face with your last judgment.  We actually have the opportunity to release judgment daily and simply accept others for how they choose to be seen and appreciated.  It doesn’t matter whether it is a homeless person, a doctor or a hip young person with tattoos.  Each one of us believes that we are expressing ourselves for our highest and best good so that is all that matters. 

It is time for us to strip off the labels and your judgment glasses and allow each individual to be appreciated in the light that they themselves believe serve their best interests.  Maybe it is time to release the old stereo types that have been enslaving you and your thought process and open your heart and mind to accept others for who they are and for what they believe they need to be appreciated for; because in truth, each one of us see ourselves differently than  the world perceives us.


Joan Marie Ambrose

Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker