Basic Instinct
Ack! TAKS week. Well at least it's over. Lindsey is coming to visit me tomorrow and then there's Renee's birthday (Nascar in 3D?) and the Garland job fair...life is bizz.OK, you know what? I realized today that almost everybody thinks that they are open minded. Think about it. Who do you know that has ever said to you, "I'm narrow minded and I only see things my way." (Short of the Lord revealing that to them, of course.) We've all had to be open minded a lot in our lives just for survival. Example: A significant other gives you a cd of a band that you've never heard of. Would you say, "What the heck, fool, I don't know this band.?!!" You'd probably listen to it...at least once. We're all open minded now and then, anytime a comfort zone is breached. And so we think, we all think, "I'm open-minded."
Yesterday, a student text-messaged her mother in the restroom during the TAKS test, and her mother came to the school to pick the girl up. Of course, the TAKS test is an issue of National Security! Cell phones are strictly prohibited and if your cell phone even goes off during the test, every student in the room will have their test voided. Anyway, the Mom came wearing what was apparently a low-cut tank top and a pair of short shorts. A first-year teacher went on about how skanky this outfit was, when finally one of the more bold substitute teachers said, "That lady had breast cancer in both breasts and a double masectomy, and those are her new breasts." My co-teacher (the head theatre teacher), even more gutsy, said, "I didn't think that outfit was inappropriate!"
Silence. In a minute, the teacher who had made the first comment about how skanky the woman's outfit was began to tear up. My co-teacher had made her cry! (How many times has she made me cry? A lot!) And this was all over saying something the first-year teacher thought would be harmless or at least accepted by the others at the table. She didn't think twice about judging someone based on her appearance. Do you? I try not to, but think about it, we all do. I think I don't, because tattoos and ponytails don't bother me, because I make friends with people from other races, or because I'd freely give a dollar to a homeless man.
But I do look at what people wear and judge their motives. Just like the mother that walked in in those clothes, and the first-year teacher thought that her inappropriate dress signaled some need for sexual attention. It's instinctive to judge, but we have to fight the tide. Instincts aren't our God.
In that moment, I was so glad that I hadn't even seen the woman who came to pick her daughter up. Was she dressed inappropriately? I guess I'll never know.
posted by Heather at
4/20/2006
2 comment(s):
Hey Heather-
I've enjoyed the few posts that i've read of yours. The subject of this one hit home for me this past week.
I have not given the grace due to some people in this country who don't speak our language well, and in my uninformed opinion, they did'nt even try to learn. However, I went to work last week to find that we hired a new unloader that does not speak very good english, and God showed me how unfair I had been to certain people. This man in three days, was able to open up my eyes to many issues concerning mexican-americans and thier concerns.
I just thank God that my eyes were opened before I hurt someone or became numb to my stupidity! Anyway, I believe this in some way goes along with the points you made!
By
Anonymous, at
10:57 PM
Heather, I just wanted you to know that I tell other people about the things I learn from you on your blog! You're blessing people who don't know you!
By
Allison, at
7:48 AM
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