Labels

Throughout life we acquire different 'labels'.  Some of these are self-made, others are given to us. These labels can vary from being different names, jobs or a description of ourselves.  What I don't think people realise is that, no matter how often you change the label, the person or item in question remains the same.

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" - Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare

No matter what happens to us throughout our lives, we are still the same person.  A person who changes from being a sales assistant to becoming a teacher is still the same person.  A table will still function in the same way, even if we call it an oven. Mr. Smith who used to live at number 60 is still Mr. Smith, even though he has moved houses.  Basically, the names of things do not matter, only what things "are". The person does not change, and you can't make a person change by giving them a new label.

When I first got my glasses, one kid in my class at high school thought that he should make fun of me. He called me names such as "four eyes", and even went as far to say "he's trying to make himself look clever".  He wanted that to effect me, but it didn't. I knew that I needed to wear glasses so that I could read things at a distance.  I didn't choose to have glasses one day because I thought that glasses would make me look more clever.

My twitter description of myself is "I once abused a piano... now I'm kind of infamous for it".  That's a self-given description of me.  There have been times where I've wanted to change my label.  In middle school I used to spike my hair up, because that would make me 'cool', and I wore jeans and a denim jacket.  People who know me now will realise that I hardly ever wear jeans and I don't own a denim jacket any more.

Yes, it's hard to get rid of certain labels, but the labels don't mean anything.  The important thing is the person and that, no matter what you are labelled as, you are still you.

Stay Strong
Michael