different folks

i was in the grocery store this afternoon thinking about how we group everyone.  Today the Vitran buses had gone to pick up the elderly that don't have cars, so they could do their shopping.  When i entered the store and saw all the old people i thought to myself this would be a slow day at the check out stand.  This would be a slow day going down the aisles.  i had grouped all the elderly in the store and declared them slow in my head.

Many of us believe that we are open and accepting of others differences.    In fact, this is not the case at all.  All of us, no matter what our background automatically divide people into groups. Some do this in a more methodical manner, white, black, rich, poor, while others are more subtle in their approach, "yes there are haves and have nots."

All of us are drawn to associating with like minded people, putting ourselves in groups we think are beneficial to us.  If you have the same beliefs and life style, alternative points of view don't have to be explored; they can easily be discarded when traveling in those "tight circles" that reinforce a particular idea,way of life, or belief about a group of people.  We all have our "tight circles" no matter who we are.

When you go out of your comfort zone, out of that limited circle, to explore the possibilities, to explore the reality of a new way of doing things; thinking about life and relating to others can make your life much more satisfying.  If you take on a higher level of understanding and truth it will affect you, your family and your peers.

Today in the store i had to check myself,  i had work to do, personal work.  i had to tell myself that not all these elderly were slow, or without cars, or would make the check out wait longer. i had to tell myself that if i got rid of my initial annoyance the trip through the store would be more pleasurable.  i had to remind myself that many of these elderly had fascinating stories to tell.

Today in the news we are inundated with issues that divide us into groups.  Immigrants, welfare mothers, rich, poor, middle class, government workers, private workers, soldiers, republicans, democrats, i could go on and on but i think you get the picture.  Each and every one of these monikers conjures up an image that is used to divide us.

Each and every one of those above categories represent individual human beings that don't fit the negative  marquee.  They don't carry the negative baggage that each of those groups names may trigger for some when the label is attached.  Every one of those groups is made up of people who don't fit the narrative.

As a path, to break yourself of dividing us all into groups, instead of humans, you have to give up the fiction that you are always right, that what you think about these groups is accurate, even if you've studied the group.  None of us are 100% right, nor are we too old or too young to learn about something new that can help change the world.  Remember we all do it, each and every one of us groups humans, even if you say you don't, you do.

So today's message is that  grouping human beings hurts all of us when the categories conjure up negative connotations. 

You don't need the social support of your peers to break out, to doubt what you are being fed about groups of people, be they rich, poor,white, black, purple, welfare moms, republicans or democrats.  You don't need their support to stop grouping people.  You don't need anyone to approve of you relating to each and every person as a human being first.  You don't need anyone to approve of you practicing it every day as a path towards stopping yourself when you put anyone into a group that you view negatively.

So go on, take those first baby steps alone and place humans first, think about the human beings in that group first, before the group image takes over and ruins your brain.