Received an email from a friend telling me that the previous email ad I sent her yesterday was probably not related to her 'illness'. She claims to have CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome). I say 'claims', not because I don't believe her, but because there is no 'formal' diagnosis given to her yet, as far as I know. She is her own doctor and the symptoms she has are those of CFS. However since current research has no evidence of where this 'illness' or 'virus' or 'syndrome' or what-ever-you-want-to-call-it comes from, nor what the exact symptoms are, I cannot say with certainty that she has CFS. I do believe, though, that she has her own makeup, as do I, as do you, as does each one of us!
I say this because I AM SICK OF THE LABELS. The 'whoevers' or what-ever-you-want-to-call-them keep making up labels. As far as I know, all my friends, relatives, co-workers, and people I don't know, have about 3-5 labels!! "Hi, I'm Celine. I'm a 'vegan' 'ocd' 'bisexual' 'women' who just went through her third 'depression'." "Thank you for sharing Celine." "Hello, I'm Steve. I'm addicted to gambling and speeding. I can't control my appetite sometimes, so I guess I'm an 'over-eater'. Oh, and I collect a lot of stuff so my ex-girlfriend says I'm a 'hoarder'...I didn't know that was 'bad'." "Hello, Steve. Welcome."
So, you see what I'm saying... and this doesn't just happen in group therapy or AA meetings!! This is the regular conversation over lunch or when meeting someone at a party. And guess what guys...if you don't hear the lingo, listen carefully, you'll hear the 'under-lingo' and you'll diagnose the person next to you right away! It's instant eye-contact or non-eye-contact for 'secure' or 'insecure', for example. We all know that one. But do we? Do we rush to label? Are we right?
I used to think that I could read people inside out after reading so many psychology, sociology, cultural-anthropology books, and living around the world; then I began reading myself. It wasn't until then that I realized that what I did may not be exactly what I was feeling inside. I'm a pretty good actress. I can be polite if necessary, diplomat if required, rude if needed, and extremely cocky if desired...so if someone labeled me as 'polite' or 'rude' or 'cocky', s/he may be totally correct or totally incorrect.
In this same way, our current medical system labels us. You are feeling this, this and this...you are 'paranoid'!!! Take 'this' and come see me for ten minutes in two weeks! So, we get our label and believe it...because doctors are 'gods'... and we conform to taking the pharmaceuticals they prescribe to us after a ten minute conversation, and then, or course, become addicted to them. THIS IS ABSURD! Yet, so many of us have gone years and years of believing diagnosis that we've brain-washed ourselves and cannot get out of it, even if we are well! We are addicted to our diagnosis! We are addicted to our label! Without it, we would be lost. We wouldn't be able to identify ourselves.
Guess what folks? You are YOU! You are the unique YOU, who was born on ... at... time in... city/town/hill-top, under... with the genetic makeup of... father and ... mother and the previous 14-16 generations. So, basically, you are just your OWN MAKEUP. That's it. I'm my makeup. You're your makeup. We can sit around and talk about our commonalities all day... that's what friends are for!!! And that's what this Blog's about... OUR MAKEUP :)
