42 Throws Me a Bone Again!
You know by now that I am a big fan of the late Leo Buscaglia. Even though he has been gone 25 years, his wisdom on loving one another is still poignant and relevant. Here is a quote from the Love Doctor recently thrown to me by “42.”
“Labels are distancing phenomena. They push us away from each other.”
Leo Buscaglia
I ask you to take a piece of paper and write down as many ways as you can think about how we label others (or self). Take 2 minutes to write, then ponder how these labels are used to separate.
Here’s my 2 minute list.
- conservatives/progressive/liberal/moderate
- republican, democrat, independent
- he/she/they
- black/white
- Asian, American, African, European, Indian
- gay, straight, bi, lesbian, trans
- black lives/blue lives
- immigrant/illegal/citizen
- Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness
- skinhead/white supremacist
- those people
Whether it’s your list or mine, ask yourself this, “What do all these labels share in common?”
Every one of the labels describes a human being!
We have to stop dehumanizing, because this is the opposite of loving one’s neighbor. We should live to love even people who have different worldviews, beliefs, or life-styles. Why? Because 42 loved us first!
And just in case you need an example of how to do this LOVE thing, look to the ONE who touched the unclean, called tax collectors, rescued and dined with sinners, forgave crucified criminals, put up with the shenanigans of fishermen, and called a crazy HitchHiker to get up and preach and teach his good news (and commit Love-Mischief).
SEARCHING FOR 42 