I haven’t been traveling much but did some for officiating at Northern Cass recently and I have been thinking a lot about “Labels.” What is the point of labels? We label everyone from the day we start school and beyond. I feel that labels make people feel insignificant and significant at the same time. Did you ever label someone after just one visit with them or even after just one look? I think Bullying becomes a big factor which I will leave alone for another post. What if there were no labels?
When did I start noticing labels in school? Hmmmm it was probably about Middle School when I started actually noticing. Of course, when you are that young it is about who is cute or handsome or even who is a nerd or sporty. Why can’t we be pretty and a nerd? I think there is some bad connotations around certain words such as NERD or JOCK. These words, I believe, aren’t bad or shouldn’t be bad but when you are young they can hurt and give you a complex that may stay with you for a long time.
However, when you get to high school these words start to follow you. Sure I have labeled someone I’m guessing at some point as I’m definitely not perfect. I’m not sure what my label was, maybe sporty or goody two shoes which I heard a lot in high school since I followed the rules. Whatever your label was did it follow you???? Were you able to break out of the label??? I think labels don’t really give you a picture of who the person actually is just a snapshot. Like the saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” I feel like there are more labels in high school such as class clown, popular, jock, princess, clicks, slut, etc…..
Once you hit college I feel like the labels start to disappear a little like reinventing yourself which I saw as an opportunity. Of course, I was still a goody two shoes and didn’t go out and party as I had to study in order to make the grades. It was great though because everyone was in the same boat and didn’t know anyone so there is a fresh new outlook on who each other is and who we could become. After college you enter the “REAL” world and begin a job. Who would have thought that there would even be “labels” there too or more so titles as they call them. I know there has to be a hierarchy at places of employment so we know who is in charge and who makes the final decisions but do these labels make someone better than another? Have you had a title that made you feel like you could walk all over the other employees?? Did it give you POWER? I believe that we are given these labels to provide leadership and make those around us better. The job “labels/titles” should never give you the right to make those around you feel fear or resentment!
What about some other labels that I see everyday in the news or on social media articles such as; loser, crazy, transgender, gay, lesbian, African American, Caucasian, Native American, Muslim, Jew, Catholic, rich, poor, etc…. do these tell the whole story about a person? When did it become about labels and not the individuals? Why can’t we all just be human beings that get a long because we choose not because of what we are labeled? Why in the media do we feel the need to portray the labels in a bad light? I challenge you take away the label from yourself and others around you and just BE.
“You see us as you want to see us—in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain…and an athlete…and a basket case…a princess…and a criminal. Does that answer your question?” ~The Breakfast Club
Music this past two weeks was some Hootie & The Blowfish, wow, the memories that come from those songs from Jr. High dances to first crushes to sleepovers. I love looking back at some of the best times growing up as I hope my daughter gets to experience all those things and find the music. Here are a few of my favorites:
Let Her Cry: Cracked Rear View
Time: Cracked Rear View
Hold My Hand: Cracked Rear View
Bonus Track: Shinedown is coming out with a new album comes out in September. The one thing about Shinedown is always hearing the stories behind their songs so please take a listen as I find myself listening to this quite often:
Acoustic version of Shed Some Light: Us and Them
Until Next Time……….THANK YOU….
Traveling With Jo 