I Am NOT A Bottle of Wine June 8, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Mindfulness, People.comments closed
Wikipedia ~ Label (in Public Domain)
I steer clear of labels:
(1) Labels are superficial.
Hypocrites wear labels, claiming to be one thing while doing another.
Actions speak louder than words.
(2) Labels are superfluous.
We don’t have to call ourselves “feminists” to be pro-active in the fight for equality.
All we have to do is keep coming back to the task.
(3) Labels are imprecise. Meanings shift from place to place, person to person, and with changing times. A label might mean one thing to me and hold a different meaning for you.
When we characterize our actions and beliefs with labels, we can get caught up defending ourselves against out-dated stereotypes and over-generalizations.
(4) Labels encourage people to pigeon-hole us, to presume to know more about us than they do, all based on a label applied to our countenance.
They ask what we do so they know which cubbyhole to stick us in: Rich man? Poor man? Beggar man? Thief? Doctor? Lawyer? Indian chief?
Cocktail party questions are a convenient form of shorthand communication. Nothing more.
(5) Labels are misleading. The things we have done and the roles we have “played” don’t define the totality of who we are at THIS moment.
“If who you are is what you do, who are you when you don’t?”
(6) Labels are limiting. Words can’t encompass the essence of “me.” Trying to distill ourselves down to a single word or phrase is frustrating.
How could we ever hope to encapsulate our infinite awesomeness in words?
(7) Once we realize we are NOT the labels we wear, we see who we really are.
And we are FREE.
When I first stopped practicing law, I didn’t know how to respond when people asked the ubiquitous question, “What do you do?”
Wikipedia ~ Label (in Public Domain)
I didn’t have a “new label” to apply.
I decided I don’t need a label.
I am NOT a bottle of wine.
Or a banana.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Quote to Ponder: Our infinite worth lies beyond all labels.
Related post: Tagline (WP Daily Prompt) * The Most Annoying Question In The Whole Damn World (Delicious Day)
Spirit Lights The Way 