There has been a phrase that has been used that everyone seems to recognize and it has become a consuming thought I have had for the past few days. That phrase is....
"Seeing the world through rose colored glasses"
A safe assumption, is that using the thought that rose colored glasses gives the person looking through them see life as something always positive in a sense that it is blind to other factors that are not so rosy. I get it, but I have a hard time accepting that every aspect of life is on the up and up. Especially, when being offered to try on other colors of glasses to look at the same situation in a different light. Here is what I am thinking....
I have some friends, so cynical that it can be seen as pessimistic. Call it, "the sky is falling" kind of mentality. Everything is a conspiracy and everyone is out to get them. Not one shred of proof will sway them to believe anything different. I call that color of glasses.... gray.
Then, there are the friends that are so focused on one thing that it puts them in a category that can only be noted as having a severe case of blinder syndrome. Better seen as tunnel vision. I would say that their color of glasses would be black, but that would be an inaccurate way of describing that small opening in the center that sets a laser like focus on the one thing that they are focused on. Simply put, there is another branch of black glasses that are so dark and impenetrable to seeing anything are those that choose to remain blissfully ignorant to what is happening around them. Then, there are the ones with blue glasses that only focus on the sadness that surrounds them. They feed off of mysery. Sometimes mistaken for being too compassionate for the well being of others. Of course, we cannot ignore the green glasses that highlight jealousy over everything around them. The jealousy that they don't have what others have. Then, there are the red glasses. Red with anger at everything and nothing at all. Just bitter at the world and always ready for a fight. Yellow, rainbow, purple, and whatever color or pattern you choose can easily describe the beliefs swirling in their minds. Simply put, it is the perceptions that people choose to grasp onto that makes them all individuals.
While I would love to say that I am one that prefers to wear clear glasses when looking at things, I have to admit that there have been times that I donned a pair, or two, that were not crystal clear. I would like to see things in varying angles and in varying colors. It makes life more interesting. Sadly, my glasses have become a swirling mass of contradictions and colors because there has been far too much exposure to compelling arguments that do happen to have a leg to stand upon. Here are my thoughts lately about a few things.....
Recently, Paris, France was attacked by a group of people disguised as refugees running from a horrific situation. While my heart weeps for those that only want peace, my blood boils at the ability for someone with an ulterior motive to attack innocent people that are only trying to help. Knowing that the obvious history of my family heritage states that my ancestors immigrated to the United States, I can only assume that their desire was not to run, but to embrace a new life in a new land. Doing what they can to meld and mix with their new surroundings as a sign of respect for the customs, as well as the language. What managed to bother me is how someone with an inability to embrace differences, places a literal and unsettling emphasis of something that not everyone can accept is a religion or faith, and lash out in such an evil manner. While it is a freedom to choose your faith, it is not a right to inflict pain upon people that do not agree with you. Innocent lives are at stake and I am sickened to the core. I am fearful that regardless of what decisions are made to allow refugees to enter other countries with different customs, traditions, and beliefs.... life is now even more fragile now than it ever was. If we were to strip all the faith, beliefs, and customs of people.... there would be nothing to be passionate about. It does not exactly put the masses in a substantially safer situation, but it does change where the passion lies. I am all for helping the innocent, but I am not willing to sacrifice my safety to my friends and family on the chance of welcoming a terrorist with open arms and the desire to be a compassionate humanitarian. I wonder.... what color my glasses are with that statement?
On a more local note, there has been a major upheaval over gender equality. In all honesty, I believe every person is to be treated with respect... equally. What I have a problem with is forcing a situation as volatile as body image where it should not be forced. You see, there is a boy at my daughter's school. He believes that he is a woman trapped in a man's body. His choice of clothing are what you would normally see on females, but what lies under the clothing is all male. While I am okay with his desire to become what he believes is on the inside.... I have a serious issue with forcing my daughter the image of what is under their clothes in an environment that is already as stressful as it is..... the locker room. A room where the outer layers of a person (clothing) are shed in front of others. As history states, or in the eyes of most.... boys are to change clothes with boys and girls are to change clothes with girls. I happen to be a firm believer in that. While some will argue that gender discrimination does not exactly apply when a mother changes a baby boy's diaper, or a father changing a diaper to his baby girl. Heck, it does not apply when a physician is doing their job and has to deal with the anatomy of the opposite sex. Yes, it is just a body, but this situation can also be seen as something beyond the clinical. While I cannot judge one family from the next... most families keep their unclothed bodies behind closed doors and is only shared with a person that they are comfortable with. My husband does not run around the house naked, and neither do my daughter and I. It is respect for not just ourselves, but respect of others to keep things to ourselves. Do I have a problem with a boy thinking he is a girl? Nope. Do I have an issue with a boy being naked in a girl's locker room? You betcha I do! What you have under your clothes is none of my business, just as well as what you do behind closed doors (sexual orientation). As long as it does not hurt anyone and respects the individual boundaries placed by others around them.... I have no qualms. I just don't appreciate being forced to accept something that I don't need to see. That is where I firmly believe in turning the other cheek, looking away, and not bothering to understand. Be who you are.... embrace it. Just don't force me to embrace it. I can accept, but not embrace. Hmmm.... what color are my glasses now?
While I have more topics to share, I need to stop here. All those swirling colors, tones and shades are muddying my view. Time to get my day going. I'll see what I can share another day, so stay tuned and thanks for reading.....
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