Labels, Judgement and Prejudice.

Let me start off by asking you this, 

"what is the most common misconception people have of you?"

Growing up, I was deemed to be a "rebellious teen" and a "bad student" by my teachers. I was called selfish and superficial by my own family, my passion for learning different languages and cultures granted me the ridiculous label of "whitewashed", and I was always considered to be "different" and "weird" for being interested in things kids my own age were not into. Other than these labels, I was constantly being told I had too many opinions for my own good. 

These are just some of the labels put on me throughout my childhood and teenage years.

An exterior image can be deceiving and misleading. I assume that is why they taught us not to judge a book simply by its cover and we should at least give others the benefit of the doubt. Nevertheless, people often go about their one precious lives judging everything single person we encounter, trying so hard to interpret their intentions and characteristics based on their external presence. How well they dress, how confident they appear to be, how wealthy and connected they must be and well, that instant impression oftentimes determines whether or not we want to associate with this particular person.

What a shame it really is. Our intuitions might be right at times, yet when it comes to meeting people, truly knowing one another, the first impression is usually subjective and prejudicial. If only we could live without judgments, put aside our preconceptions about certain things and certain types of people and see each other as just human beings. Beyond all these categorizations and bigotry, is someone that deserves a little bit more of our time before we ultimately jump to our conclusions based on a facade or their appearance.

It goes with anything we do in our lives. Befriending someone, going to job interviews, meeting your new classmates or colleagues. Give others and ourselves a chance before we judge. Humans are such incredible, multi-dimensional, multi-layers and complex beings. We are worth much more than just this one "label". We have the formidable ability to learn, emulate and transcend ourselves. Still, we are too quick to draw our conclusion before thorough examination and observation.

Moving forward, I aim to hold less judgment and preconceived opinions in my heart, and leave more room for acceptance and recognition for others. For I have been judged by strangers based on how I look and dress all my life for me to do the same to others.

I'd like to think that each and every one of us is currently experiencing our own life journey while writing our own story. We might not understand other people chapters, but we have the ability and chance to listen before we judge.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”
― Audre Lorde

“Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.” 

― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre