Colors

I have really been thinking on colors a lot lately. Everyone talks about how we need to see a person as an individual first instead of seeing a person’s color first. Over the years I’ve tried to do that, but would sometimes catch myself seeing the color first. I think it’s rather natural to do that, so making a determined change is difficult, but not impossible.

After the recent rounds of dissension stirred up by the horrible shootings of whites on blacks and blacks on whites I’ve modified my way of thinking and seeing. If we are all children of God why do we keep fighting each other? Why do we think we are so different? Yes, I know odds are against many dark-skinned people, with less opportunities to dig out from under often oppressive circumstances surrounding their lives. I don’t know what to do about that - it's a huge societal issue that I wish I could fix, but can’t in my small corner of the world. But what I can do is try to help anyone of any color that God puts in my path. I treat all people, regardless of color, with respect as I’d want to be treated.

I know how easy it is to make assumptions based on color. I remember a time years ago when I was in my 20s. Because of work I had to get in a gate-style elevator with probably the darkest-skinned man I’d ever seen in my life. He was a very big man too. It was just a one-floor ride, but hearing the lock settle before the assent made my heart grow cold as I realized anything could happen on that short journey and no one would even know. I could barely breathe and when the doors opened I was so relieved. I had made an assumption based on color.

I could never have been more wrong. Mr. Sherman was absolutely the kindest of men, a gentle giant with a good heart who became a very good friend for many years. I still feel so foolish for making that assumption. It had a big impact on me that 40 years later I can still remember the event like it was yesterday.

Now I see more clearly. I see that we are all Americans and Americans come in a variety of colors. There are shades of white that includes ruddy pinks, subtle yellows, sun-tanned, freckled and even some lily-white that never go outside. There are shades on the dark spectrum that make me think of coffee with an endless variance of added cream. So many shades, so many colors…. if you look from the whitest albino to the darkest like ink you can see endless varieties. Am I white or am I light tan? Why do we draw a line and say you have to be either black or white?

I now see people as people, not colors. In my wanderings, at grocery stores and restaurants, doctor offices and thrift stores and wherever else I find myself I now simply see people - nice people, sad people, busy people, people with kids, older people, serious people. I see people nicely dressed and some a little less so. I see people from every walk of life from rich to homeless. I often see people with dreams and hopes, and plans and goals. I smile at all of them and say hello, or have a good day. They are just friends I’ve never met before.

Next time you look at a crowd, either in person or on TV, see the marvelous variety that God made. Don’t limit your thinking to either /or. And remember that God doesn't make mistakes. We are what we are because He chose that for us and not through anything we've done.

Photo credit: http://blog.emojipedia.org/the-trouble-with-redheads/