“If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite”.
- William Blake
I stared at this quote for an entire hour before I got myself to write about it. Ever since we had the capability to understand the life around us, we were always taught to perceive things a certain way. Regardless of how open-minded and free-spirited we claim to be, at the end of the day there is one aspect that bonds us all together - the need to be pass a judgment.
Don’t be shaking your head at my words, but slowly try to accept the bitter truth. Ever thought that being judgmental is something we were actually taught as kids? Imagine a past where your parents did not warn you against certain types of people in this world. Imagine a childhood where you weren’t taught to see certain situations a certain way. Imagine a life where it did not matter what you say or do or wear because everything would be considered ‘normal’.
I am not denying that these life lessons have not made us who we are. I do admit that without the morals and values passed on to us, there would be some flaws in our upbringing. But IMAGINE a world where you weren’t told what was right and what was not. There wouldn’t be any racism, no discrimination, no biased opinions, and no judgments. A girl with a cigarette in her hand, being around a bunch of boys would not be a slut. Parents would not advise their daughters about the boys who live on beer and alcohol. BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO STEREOTYPES! There would be no difference between Blacks, Whites, and Asians, because only one culture would exist - individuality.
We wouldn’t judge people for the way they appeared to be, but how they treated us. We’d appreciate people more probably because no one would have the need to be somebody they are not. Nobody would be scared of being an outcast, and afraid of common fate (Tupac Shakur would be so proud of me today)!
I hope that as a parent I don’t ever bind my children’s imagination. That they can be free to choose on their own between what is right, and what they want to make right. That no dream is too big, and that they can never be too old to dream a new dream. I hope that as an individual I don’t ever be-little anyone’s ambitions. Because your imagination is sometimes all you’ll ever have. So set it free and let it runaway :)
