Magnifying Glass

Just before the summer sun set behind the hills, I jumped on an old 70's vintage Schwinn and began to ride. I let the cool summer air fill my lungs as a petaled, twisting and turning around the perfect subdivision. As I winded through the road I noticed the rows of identical houses-- houses of brick and stone; houses with immaculately manicured lawns; houses with big bay windows and driveways. As I peddled fast and faster past these houses, I thought to myself "Is originality completely dead?" ...But then I looked closer. As I looked at the houses I realized that they were not identical, but that each house had something, somewhere that made it unique. There were houses with bright purple tulips and houses with daises; houses with swing sets and basketball courts. There was a house with an American flag raised high; there was a house with a life size doll house in the driveway. As I looked closer I realized that every house had a story-- and that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover--Well this is also true of people. We so often find ourselves caught up in the mainstream, following trends, becoming a victim of societal norms. But more so than trying not to fall into a stereotype, we need to learn to not stereotype others. Everyone has something remarkable to offer. Put a magnifying glass to someone and you may be surprised at what you find. To look deeper into a person and find that thing that makes them stand out is the real challenge.