There once was a time when people were not so caught up in all the pettiness of life.  Sure, humans always have their differences, but the community worked together for survival.  Some communities of the less fortunate still work that way today.  However, many people who live in a home separating their neighbors, and isolating themselves from the rest of the community, often miss out on those relationships.

We are not saying that this is good or bad, or one is better than the other.  However, when we separate ourselves from others, we have a tendency to pre-judge others without really knowing them.  Think for a moment about the last person you were introduced to.  Many times, we are so busy “looking over” the other person that we do not hear their name during the introduction.

We are not judging that person per se, but our senses and thought processes are sometimes overwhelmed so much so that we do not hear their name as we shake their hand.  This is similar to what happens when we look out our windows to the outside world.  When we see something new or different, we sometimes fail to see the spirit of those beings, since we overwhelm our physical senses with data.

When we create a separateness attitude towards groups of people that we carefully organized with “labels” we then have a tendency to generalize our feelings towards the various groups – usually groups that we are not a member.  For example, take the latest political race in your area.  Typically, the candidates are divided up into various “political parties.”   Most of the time, the voters belong to one of those parties, often time voting for the candidate that aligns with their own party.

Creating “classes” and “groups” of people can be dangerous and detrimental to society at large.  When we classify or label a person, we think we know them.  The reality is that no one ever really knows anyone else.  The danger occurs when we think we know someone else based solely on their “classification.”

As a result, we begin to create feelings and emotions towards the people belonging in the various groups.  Now, this tendency to “classify” people is a natural one that has been occurring for many centuries.  However, we need to rid ourselves of that tendency so that we can connect with the spirit in each person that we encounter.   Let go of the need to “label” your fellow humans.

When we let go of the separateness and the classification of others, we may find that we are less “petty” in our lives.  We may begin to realize that a classification of people is not at all who those people in that group really are.  When we think we know someone, we have negated them.  Let go of the arrogance of thinking that you can know someone – especially, someone you have never met.

InspiraCard

Life is full of challenges.  One challenge is to question your belief systems, starting with the need to label and categorize people.  Do not “pre-judge” anyone, at least until you have met them!

Written, Wed, Nov 19, 2014 8:14 – 8:27 AM MST