When you and I were babies there was undoubtedly someone declaring that we had our mother’s eyes, or our father’s determination, or Aunt Maggie’s dimples. Even so, there we lay with a face like none other, a voice that brought a brand new sound into the world, and a mind that would be our most unique contribution to the world.  The ogling and classified resemblances goes on, and without notice people create the first sign of “conformity” in our lives.

When we get right down to it, our individual value lies in the fact that we are, first of all, who we are…..even if others might struggle to make us something different.

I truly believe if people succumb to allowing others to put them into a mold, or we ourselves put people into our molds, we end up with no wonderful surprises. The laughter gets stifled. The joy of individual creativity is over-looked. There is no opera in the street. There is no wonder – no imagination.

We can’t deny that we live in a world that requires a measure of conformity in order to be popular or to simply survive. I’ll be honest – I concede to fashion, to buzz words, and to certain behaviors. And not without saying, there are customs to be respected, precedents to guide us, and rules we must follow.  But in all of this conformity there is plenty enough left for us to be the individual we were born to be, and to make our mark whatever it’s yet to be. And I encourage this for all of us, no matter what age!

A fascinating observance I’ve come across is that it takes less effort to know people in groups than it takes to know a person individually. Nothing wrong with that, but on the flip side, when we make an effort to get to know someone and we seek out their “special qualities”, the opera begins – the music starts. How many times have you casually known someone, and when suddenly it happens that you get to know them better, you are delighted? It’s happened to me many times. Suddenly the person comes out of the mold I have put them in and I’m astonished at how wonderful it is to know them. How beautiful they really are!

The opera is there. Music is in the street if we look for it and listen for it. In many ways we can be the “song” in someone’s life.  

 

NOTE: I am no longer on Facebook, so if you enjoy my website, I encourage you to press (click) my blogs to Facebook, and any other social media you are on. This gives me visibility that helps to offer my inspirational book to the public.

This book is available on http://amazon.com

Log into Amazon and ask for “Mary Cates Books” The book is at a great discount price.