Being Our Own Person

I feel no matter what is going on in our lives the most important thing is that we have to be our own person. Not what others want you to be but what you truly are.

I am not saying that you have to be selfish and do whatever you want. We do have to consider other people and allow them to be themselves as well. I know as a child I was told to be quiet a lot and to keep my voice down. I understand now that there were places that I needed to be quiet and consider others person space however at the same time being loud is part of me. I don’t talk loud all the time because I do consider where I am and others feeling but I should be able to express myself just like everyone else should.

I know as a child I probably had attention deficit though they had no name for it. I am sure there are children that do need medication for having attention deficit but I do not think it is necessary for everyone. I was not a child that got out of control and needed to have something to calm me down. I wonder now how many are actually given medication when it is not necessary. My early years of life I did not talk very much because I had a hearing problem; whatever I said was not understood by others except my older brother Dick who knew what I was say and he let people know what I was asking for. The problem I had was that I could not hear and they found part of the problem I had wax in my ears. When I was five they took the wax out of my ears and I started talking properly. Since I did not talk until then I started talking up a storm and in school the teachers did not understand. All they wanted me to do is talk less and not so loud. I wonder how much that hurt my growth in expressing myself.

Even today talking a lot is part of my life though I try not to talk so loud. My voice can be heard loudly in a room where people are talking softly so wants in a way I am told to lower my voice which I understand now.

I am not sure what schools have now for students of all kinds however everyone should have the opportunity to express them in the manner that makes them comfortable. Those who have attention deficit in the manner that I should be able to talk in a group of other students; take an hour every day where students talk with other students that are like them. I would recommend this for students to that do not talk very much as well. Not that I am saying that they should change themselves and talk like me but able to express to others how they feel. There is a possibility that those who talk little because they are not given the opportunity to talk especially in a forum that they would feel comfortable in.

So I think it would be great even at work that those who are alike can spend time together as well. I remember once when I was going to community college an instructor broke everyone into four groups. He asked each student a question concerning the kind of person they were and then let each person know what each four groups were and go to the group they felt that they should be part of. I went to group A which were those who talked a lot and enjoy joking around. After spending a half an hour together the teacher said to everyone that each group did exactly what they meant to do. Also he said that many groups in school or the workplace have at least one person that fits into each one of the categories and it is a good thing. Having a group that everyone has the same personalities most likely nothing would be accomplished.

So accept people for who they are and accept yourself for who you are. I know it is not easy in either case because those who are different from us for whatever reasons it is not an easy thing to spend time with them. I enjoy spending time with all kinds of people and learning how they tick along with where they come from. I am sure there are those who I talk to may feel uncomfortable where I come from so if they don’t seem to be interested I stop. Fortunately at some degree or another people do feel comfortable around me especially when I use humor. So open yourself up to others, be who you are and not worry what they think of you. If we learn to listen other people may actually find out that they like us.