To be seen - or to be known

We are taught as young children to not judge a person by their looks - but by the sum of their character - who they are in the "inside". Yet, at every turn, we are told to look at the outside only... in magazines, tv shows, and even in cartoons. Image has become a major focal point of our society. You must look this way, you should dress this way, you need to conform to the "accepted norm". I'm sorry, I don't do that. We as a people fought tooth and nail to not have to conform. Our forefathers crossed miles and miles of ocean, fought through horrid starting conditions all for the sake of being able to not have their lives dictated. Yet, here we are, still being dictated to - the packaging is just nicer. I'll be honest, I like looking at the bodies that make even a priest drool - but then once you scratch the surface what lies under isn't necessarily pleasing in any way other than to the first glimpse. Oh and don't forget, "they" say it's just the way it is. I still want to know who the hell "they" is or are and I think "they" need to have a reality check with a telephone pole.

Take the movie the Little Mermaid for example - the lead character is a tiny little girl with perfect perky boobs and a the perfect girly voice and flowing hair - even when under the water being chased by a shark and looks good in a ship's mast. The secondary female characters are well - to a point fat. The housekeep is fluffy but kind while the bad guy of the movie is a very well endowed and overflowing lady. Why can't the bad guy ever be a skinny chick and a fat chick be the good guy? Would that be such a bad thing? We want our girls to come into their own and be proud of themselves - yet we don't give "fat" girls any like sized role models to watch.

It reminds me of the backwater way of thinking that applied to pregnant girls. "Pregnancy begats pregnancy"- which is why girls used to get shipped off to the nethers anytime they came up with child before marriage. And even in todays "progressive" society, segrigation of pregnant and non in schools. It's not required in most larger districts but it is highly encouraged.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think that being overweight is cool or safe or even medically sound - but lets face it, in this fast food, just nuke something and premade meal, sit all day in front of the tv either watching shows that rot the brain or playing video games until you have calluses world... it's no wonder. Supersizing your fries and soda are encouraged and diet drinks are pushed at every turn - mind you the chemicals in them just make you store MORE fat and make you MORE dehydrated and MORE hungry - oh... no.. "they" say that diet drinks are better for you.

So - answer me this... when you look, just into my eye - what do you see? Take a moment and look through the window of my soul... and ask yourself how you want to be seen and if you rather be "seen" or "known". Me - I want to be known, not just seen.

I work with too many indivuals who as a culture and community are typically not known - and most don't want to admit that said individuals were seen either. It takes too much time and too much focus. Who wants to hang out with someone who drools and can't control the most basic of body functions.

*raises her hand and waves like a 2nd grader who has the answer and has to pee at the same time* OH OH OH - ME ME ME!

I adore working with my individuals. And trust me, they are individuals. I've been at this off and on since the early 90's - not counting the lifetime I've spent with my mom and I'm still learning something new about things everyday. Not only do I work with developmentaly disabled, but with physically disabled as well. Some you can't even tell to look at them that they are in the severe catagory - while some are missing parts or all of a limb, others have a sharp mind trapped in a body that just won't do what said mind wants it to.

Heck, sometimes I feel trapped in a body that just won't do what I want it to. I take it one moment at a time because, one day is just too much at one once sometimes.

So, I ask again - would you rather be seen or known?