Examples…
I constantly go back to our hobbies when I think of this. My family is into computer games of all shapes and sizes. And I know for a fact that our extended family thinks this is weird. I know that when they look at us they think all sorts of “shoulds” concerning how we spend our time and raise our family. Should, to me, is an evil evil word. It’s a fundamentalist word. It’s the “I’m a good person” or “I’m a Christian and I do this so this is what all good Christians should do.” bs, with a captial BS. I’m not going to go any further on that point, but when I try to decide what we are doing, what I want to do, what my husband or the kids want to do, I think of them as persons. And I constantly question my motives. Often they come up lacking and I’m being selfish or unthoughtful and so I try amend them as best I can.

Also I’m a terrible gift-giver. I dread holidays because I never know what to give someone. And my thought process ran something like this… what’s the right thing to give them? rather than what do i think this person may like? As I’ve found my relationships changing with persons because of the above example of not fitting them into a box they don’t belong, I found that I grew closer with each of them, we had more fun together, I enjoyed life PLUS I could think of things to buy them that I felt would be meaningful to them.

This goes for my friends also. Having moved out of the home and into the workforce, I run into all manner and race and creed of people. I cherish them. And it sort of works the same way. They don’t know me from Adam, and so have no labels for me. So I don’t give them any either. I may not have the same lifestyle that they do or agree with them in all areas, but getting to know people who don’t exist within the cookie cutter has helped me immensely in seeing others as people and not labels.

But it’s a constant mantra: don’t worry about what people think, love those that you love, and treasure who they are. In an active visible way.

ps. I feel really silly saying all of this because it seems so… nothing. Hope it answers the question and I will continue with the next as soon as I can.