But Moooooooommmm! I don't WANT to be a bug zapper!

Note: I am reposting this from my Facebook page, and have made a few minor edits.  This has been on my heart since I woke up today, and I feel a strong desire to share it publicly.  I do find it rather humorous that the only time I seem to post is when something political has been going on.  I've recently been told by a liberal "friend" that "you're the only conservative with half a brain that I've ever met."  Uhhhhhhhh.... Should I feel complimented, or insulted?

Anywhooooo, thank you for your time & understanding!  

I've been thinking a lot about the diversity of my friends; I think I have Facebook to thank for that. We’re all so unique, in so many ways. Many of my FB friends are people I knew in high school, but I wasn't necessarily friends with them. As an adult, I've found that I actually LIKE people more – there isn't any of that teenage angst or hormonal craziness mucking up the waters. In high school, few people took the time to get to know the REAL ME – I couldn't look them in the eye, let alone tell them my opinion or speak to them at all. If I did get the guts to have an opinion of my own, I would have DIED if my friend disagreed with me or told me I was wrong! Same goes for college (unless I was drinking -- then I had no trouble chatting!) and early adult-hood.  I suppose I'm more comfortable now in my own skin -- after all, it's all stretched out -- than I was when I was young.

As I stated earlier, I've been thinking about the diversity of my friends:

Some are older than me. Some are younger. Some are even my age (29!). Some are “white,” and some are NOT “white” (most are a mix of some sort – do your genealogy!) Some are blonde or brunette or gingers; some WERE blonde or brunette or ginger, but are now growing platinum like I am (we should be rich, by the way!) Some dye their hair “normal” colors, and others dye theirs “weird” colors; some don’t dye theirs at all. Some have long or curly or straight or short hair; some don’t have hair at all. Some did, but lost it. Some are tall. Some are short. Some are thin. Some are fat. Some were fat but are now thin, and some were thin but are now fat (or “fluffy,” like me!). Some are male, some are female, and some haven’t made up their minds. Some are married, some are single, and some have been both at different times, many times over. Some have worked in law enforcement, and some have been in jail/prison. Some are from abroad, living in the USA; some are from the USA, living abroad. (I’m totally jealous of those of you in Italy or New Zealand, by the way!) All speak some form of English, but some speak other languages at different fluency rates. Some have jobs; some did but lost them for many different reasons. Some are stay-at- home moms; some are stay-at- home dads. Some home-school, some attend public school, some attend private school, and some attend charter schools. Some are in college, some are too young for college, and some didn't/don’t want to go to college; some have graduated, and some couldn't make their minds up about what they wanted to be when they grew up. ;) Some consider themselves successful; others are insecure. Some are wealthy, some are not, and most are wealthy in ways that the “world” doesn't understand. Some are teachers, some are students, some are public servants, some are office workers, and some are still looking. Some dress up; some dress down (I hope you all “dress” at some point before going into public!). Some are omnivores, some are herbivores. Some have real teeth, some have fake, and some have a combination of the two. Some have crooked teeth, some have straight. Some play sports. Some coach. Some drink. Some smoke. Some rat their hair. Some get ill from one cigarette. ;) Some do drugs; some are in recovery. Some have been molested, some work with those who have been molested, and some work with the molesters. Some live in small towns; some in big cities. Some of my friends have run for Congress, and some have testified before Congress; some are still trying to figure out if Congress is the same as the House of Representatives or not, and some just don’t care (but probably should). Some are liberal, some are conservative, and some just don’t know what that means (or don’t care). Some are on the right, and some are on the wrong (I mean LEFT, lol!), and some are somewhere in the middle. Some are Christians (from many different churches), some are Buddhists, some are agnostic, and some are new age. Some hike. Some bike. Some run. Some walk. Some skip. Some swim. Some dive. Some ride horses or skateboards or bikes or trikes or motorcycles or mopeds or other scooters; some sit on their couches and eat bon-bons (or carrots). Some are doctors, nurses, receptionists, bill collectors, cable/satellite-TV people, phone people, accountants, IT-gurus, yoga-gurus, MMA instructors/fighters, Pilates instructors, Zumba instructors, personal trainers, bartenders, cab drivers, worship leaders, musicians, actors, babysitters, landscapers, architects, builders, developers, Realtors, travel agents, pilots, flight attendants, dog washers, dog walkers, chefs, and more. Some are “dog” people, some are “cat” people, some are “horse” people, and some are “chicken” people; some are all, and some are NONE. Some are “black-and-white” rule followers, and some toe the line. Some are just out and out rebellious. Some are close to their families, some are not, and some don’t have families. I could go on and on and on and on…..

Here’s my point: we are ALL UNIQUE, and that is what I love about you all. I don’t care about whether or not you look like me, act like me, dress like me, or believe what I do – I only care about how you treat me, and how you treat those I love. I don't care about whether we listen to the same music or read the same books – I just hope you can respect my heart.  We all bleed (close to) the same color. We live, we die, and we all will experience loss and prosperity. My journey is not going to follow the exact same path as yours; I do not expect yours to follow mine, either. We will have differing rocks in our paths – some will be the same type, but different sizes or shapes, and we may have different ideas on how to deal with them. You move yours, and I'll go around mine; whatever works best, that’s fine with me. I may even pause and help you on your journey, just as I hope you will help me with mine. Your path may take you uphill, and mine might take me the long route; either way, it's OK, and we can meet up at the end.

I simply ask that you respect me for who I am. I hope that, whether you agree with my religious or political persuasions or not, you will see that I sincerely love people and want to help. I hope my life will be the proverbial light on a hill – not a neon “closed” sign, but a pleasant light that draws you in (and not a bug zapper, either!). It never has been, nor will it ever be, my intention to alienate people. Yes, I have my opinions, and it is my right to share them on my page, or blog; likewise, it is your right to ignore me, or block me, or “unfriend” me. I hope we can have open, civil, non-condescending dialogues, and that at the end of the day a clear conscience will be our bed-fellow. I hope you all understand that I poke fun at different things, but that it’s intended to be just that. I respect each of you, and can appreciate our differences (it's the reason you're my friend here to begin with!), even when I don't agree.

Bottom line (and then I’ll go): Our hearts all beat in rhythm, creating this beautiful symphony of humanity that I call my friends. Let’s just enjoy the music, all right?