Yea! No green-eyed monster showed up last night.
Aren’t you wondering what I’m talking about?
Well, I’m going to tell you.
My husband and I are in a small group at our church. Last night we met at a different couple’s home. I was curious because you know how you just can tell some people have scads of money? Well, I wasn’t proven wrong.
I think it’s the first time I’ve ever been in a million dollar home.
Now, here’s the thing. There aren’t too many people who intimidate me but if it ‘s someone who is wealthy, I practically get tongue-tied.
I’m not kidding.
I think it goes back to my childhood when my mom let me think we weren’t good enough to mingle with certain people. You know, people with more money and more status. To her, if you were wealthy, you were just better. But then she had her own childhood issues, being the daughter of a sharecropper.
My grandparents really were sharecroppers. They never owned their own home or had their own car. They moved from farm to farm to earn a living.
So I think all those prejudices have set up shop in my psyche. I grew up thinking that rich people had no problems.
But I surprised myself last night and even suggested that the hostess and I get together for coffee sometime. She was genuinely excited about the idea. And it dawned on me that I had been guilty of judging her. I mean I don’t even know her and I assumed she wouldn’t be the least bit interested in getting together.
From her response, I have a hunch this happens to her all the time. You know it’s like the prettiest girl in school who never gets asked out because she IS the prettiest girl in the school and every boy just assumes some other boy has asked her out so she ends up sitting at home all by herself.
I don’t want to do that to anyone else. I will keep my word and I will call her. I’m doing it for me as much as I am for her. I need to get out of my comfort zone and reach out to those I think are different from me, those with more, and those with less.
And I sure don’t want anyone else assuming anything about me.
So the next time, you wonder whether you should reach out to someone, just do it. The worst thing that is going to happen is you will get turned down. Some people go through life feeling rejected.
Some of our best friendships may start out with two very different people getting beyond their prejudices. And can we agree, that if everybody did that the world would be a better place?
Speaking of relationships, next week I will be writing a new post every day about relationships. If I repeat myself from one day to the next, it’s because social scientists say it takes hearing something three times before it sinks in. So I’m sinking your ship. 🙂
God bless and have a great day.
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