Think once, think again

I once heard someone say "Your first reaction to someone different than you reflects your past. Your second reaction reflects who you've grown to become."

(If I'm going to be quoting people regularly, I really should put more of an effort into remembering specifics.)

So, for example, if I see someone with purple skin and green stripes, my knee jerk response might be How ugly! I would never go out in public like that! That reflects who I used to be, my childhood impressions. I might have run into a neighbor who dislikes the color green. Or maybe I had a little friend whose parents were once cheated by a purple person. It’s the immediate response that’s so ingrained I can’t remember where I picked it up.

(Probably not from my parents. They were both very open-minded and accepting. At least,that’s how I remember them…)

But then I might stop and think, That’s not my style. I’m proud of that person for rocking their unique look. It’s great when we celebrate what makes us, us. I’m able to see past my close-minded knee-jerk reaction, recognizing it’s wrong and replacing it with how I really feel.

This thought occurred to me a couple of weekends ago when I walked down to my city’s town square. I was on a two-fold mission--1) get some extra steps in and 2) satisfy my Starbucks urge. I’ll leave it to you to decide which I placed more importance on.

As I got closer to my destination, I began to hear music. Hm. I thought. The local bar must be having a ‘do. I kept walking, it got louder, and I recognized the beat and melody of Latino music. This was reinforced when I heard a voice shouting “¡Viva Mexico!” and lots of cheering.

And I admit it. My first thought was annoyance. I actually had the "This is America, speak English” reaction. I know. I’m ashamed of myself, too.

My second thought was irritation--I just want my coffee, I don’t want to deal with all these people. Although, to be fair, I have that thought every time there’s a crowd downtown. 

But then, my personal growth came roaring up. I was proud to be part of a diverse community. Proud that different groups feel safe enough here to celebrate their heritage so openly. I know that a lot of countries (heck, probably some places in this country) would frown upon such a display--or worse. I don’t want to live in that kind of place, or be that kind of person.

I got my coffee (no lines), and spent some time wandering around the square. The whole vibe was incredibly joyful, and the place looked almost like a Latino-themed farmer’s market. There was even a booth set up to do tattoos. Unsure if they were real or temporary, but the booth set-up and decor certainly lent credibility to the possibility they were real.

As I walked home, I gave thanks for the fact that I’ve become able to grow past my knee-jerk childhood responses, recognize them as close-minded, and recast situations in a new light. 

Although I am a little sorry I didn’t investigate that tattoo tent a bit closer.