This topic has been on my mind for quite a few years, and I always tell my ultra hip (yeah right) self, that I should write about it. So finally, after this last revelation that, yes, there are two kinds of people in this world, I needed to get it off my chest.
There are two kinds of people in this world.
"But Megan?" you quickly rebut, "No there's not! There are so many kinds of people in this world. Short people, tall people, loud people, introverted people, French people, people who like food, people who are allergic to grass, dog people, cat people, this list is endless."
And to you I say, "Well of course."
But here's the deal. When it comes down to it. We are all, but one of two kinds of people.
And I'll kindly, yet firmly, break it down for y'all.
There are two kinds of people in this world.
And you WILL fall under one of these categories.
Are you ready?
Here, I'll set the scene.
You are walking down the sidewalk. Any sidewalk. You might be on your lunch break in downtown (insert big city name), and you and your chatty co-worker who can huff and puff through the highest rates of walking are on a busy, crowded sidewalk. While still telling you about last nights drama at her family's kitchen table, your co-worker can sweat, talk and gasp her way through her thrilling tale. Quite a feat. Or, you might be in rural America on a small town sidewalk holding your child's hand on Main Street going to the local diner for a doughnut and pancakes. And yes, that was doughnut and pancakes, not one or the other.
So mind you, whichever scenario you find yourself in, you, my friend, are on a sidewalk. By yourself, or with a friend - you are on a sidewalk.
You are ambling down the concrete path, head up, head down. No matter. Your acute peripheral vision in tow, you know where you are going, and you notice others around you, and where they are going. At least in some sense of a general direction. It's you and the sidewalk baby. And other people.
Here it comes.
The other people.
So you're walking. And here they come. Other people. They're walking towards you. What are you going to do? Now, a normal scenario that leaves you not thinking about it later, is you on one side of the sidewalk, walking in your direction, and them, those other people on the same sidewalk, walking in the other direction, on the other side of the sidewalk. You pass by, almost unnoticed, unless you live in Minnesota where you almost always nod or look up, smile and say "Hello." But still, your day continues, unhindered by the small life event.
What if the sidewalk is a little smaller than usual, or it's crowded because you are a family of four and your taking up the entire walkway as you trot down the street to get your pancakes AND doughnuts? And as you are walking, and laughing orscolding gently reminding your children to stop fighting, you look up and there are other people. And they are coming your way in the opposite direction.
What do you do?
And here my friends, is where the "fork in the road" or the "path less traveled" or other wonderfully written analogies of a decision that is to be made are derived from. Most of the time, these decisions are metaphors for us when there is a significant, life-changing decision to be made. Maybe you are already starting to wonder where this is going. I mean, a sidewalk encounter is not a life changing moment or decision.
Or is it?
If it speaks to your ultimate character? Could it then be life changing? That's for you to decide. So, maybe the fork in the road analogy does apply. So here goes.
So you and your big family or your co-worker on a busy sidewalk come upon these other people. They are coming towards you walking in the other direction. And you are kind of taking up the sidewalk, and you know what? They are too. So what do you do?
There are two kinds of people in this world.
The people who don't move. And the people that do move. (Insert mic drop)
(OK awkwardly scramble to pick up the mic) It's that simple.
And OH MY LORDY LOOK WHO'S FORTY - (I'm not yet, FYI) - How this baffles my mind every time this encounter happens when someone doesn't budge.
"But Megan!" you're still saying, "This really isn't that big of a deal."
I know, but no - it is. This says a lot about you. Have you heard of that thing called the ego? The ego in all of us really likes itself, and takes care of numero uno. But the ego can be trained to go beyond itself. But that's another story. Let's bring it back.
The people that don't move.
I mean really, what's your story? I want to understand. The people that don't move as they are approaching you on the sidewalk. You try and wait it out too a little bit, they're going to move too right? Oh wait, they're looking up, I think they see me. Oh wait, nope - they're still headed on the same point of contact which is straight ahead, no moving. So you move over.
Sometimes you just have to move over a smidge for them. But have you been on those walks where there's three of them coming at you, they're all chatting, and they just keep on straight ahead? So you move over. Not on to part of the sidewalk, cause they're taking up all of it. Oh no, you get to move over on to some grass, in to a parking lot, the street, some dirt, or you get to hug a building for a second (I guess it needed some love too). And they just keep on going, you look back, you might see a hair flip, or some head throw back laughter because one of them just said something really funny, and you turn back around and think to yourself sarcastically, "You're welcome."
For the people that don't move, I would say they fall in to three categories.
1. They really don't care.
2. They really don't see you.
3. The assessor.
And all three of these have the "ego" written all over it.
The people that do move.
Bless yourquaint giant heart. Sometimes I want to shake you and say, "Stop being nice!" But hey, guess who? That's the ego in me! And you my friend, have slayed that beast. Good for you! Most of the time, the movers don't even hesitate to move. They just see people coming, and they move over, often times without batting their pretty little lashes. A huge smile plastered on their gorgeous face, they even turn to acknowledge you. Their big toothy grin opens up to reveal those ivory whites, and you hear a "ting" as a digitized sparkle icon emanates from their grin. "Hello!" they say to you, and they turn their wind blown hair across their face back to what's before them, the world at their finger tips.
I know right? What the hell, where did that come from? What - did you have sugar for breakfast? You facetiously laugh out loud. Ah- no, no they didn't. They're just nice.
For the people that do move, they too, fall in to three categories.
1. They really do care.
2. They see you (avatar style).
3. The affirmer. (I know, not a real world. Meaning: a person who affirms)
And these three categories have "you" or the "other people" written all over it.
<----- a="" affirms="" meaning:="" nbsp="" not="" others.="" p="" person="" who="" word.=""> You see, that's what a lot of us are missing today. The other people. Them, not just us. There is not a "them" without an "us". We are all on this sidewalk of life, the fork in the road. We all make choices, we all decide who is important and who isn't. But the fact of the matter is - we all matter. We are all important. The good, the bad, and the ugly. For there is good in the bad, and bad in the good. In all of us. Not one person is better than the other.
Now don't get me wrong, there are those that try to be the best "good" they can be, and there are those that don't try. And there are various stories, reasons, excuses, and pains that hold people back from their true potential of seeing the light, of being more good than bad. I get it, I've been there (and still go there sometimes too). But my point is - start seeing people. Start "moving". Start recognizing that we live in a world full of ego, a world full of hurt. And until we can "move" past ourselves, "move" past our ego, "move" past the judgment and the hate and the stereotypes. Maybe. Just maybe, we all have a chance at changing things, changing scenarios, changing the world.
And yes, all because you decided to "move" over on the sidewalk for someone else.
(There are two kinds of people: Part Two - The breakdown, will break down the categories and give more examples of There are two kinds of people) - not yet completed
There are two kinds of people in this world.
"But Megan?" you quickly rebut, "No there's not! There are so many kinds of people in this world. Short people, tall people, loud people, introverted people, French people, people who like food, people who are allergic to grass, dog people, cat people, this list is endless."
And to you I say, "Well of course."
But here's the deal. When it comes down to it. We are all, but one of two kinds of people.
And I'll kindly, yet firmly, break it down for y'all.
There are two kinds of people in this world.
And you WILL fall under one of these categories.
Are you ready?
Here, I'll set the scene.
You are walking down the sidewalk. Any sidewalk. You might be on your lunch break in downtown (insert big city name), and you and your chatty co-worker who can huff and puff through the highest rates of walking are on a busy, crowded sidewalk. While still telling you about last nights drama at her family's kitchen table, your co-worker can sweat, talk and gasp her way through her thrilling tale. Quite a feat. Or, you might be in rural America on a small town sidewalk holding your child's hand on Main Street going to the local diner for a doughnut and pancakes. And yes, that was doughnut and pancakes, not one or the other.
So mind you, whichever scenario you find yourself in, you, my friend, are on a sidewalk. By yourself, or with a friend - you are on a sidewalk.
You are ambling down the concrete path, head up, head down. No matter. Your acute peripheral vision in tow, you know where you are going, and you notice others around you, and where they are going. At least in some sense of a general direction. It's you and the sidewalk baby. And other people.
Here it comes.
The other people.
So you're walking. And here they come. Other people. They're walking towards you. What are you going to do? Now, a normal scenario that leaves you not thinking about it later, is you on one side of the sidewalk, walking in your direction, and them, those other people on the same sidewalk, walking in the other direction, on the other side of the sidewalk. You pass by, almost unnoticed, unless you live in Minnesota where you almost always nod or look up, smile and say "Hello." But still, your day continues, unhindered by the small life event.
What if the sidewalk is a little smaller than usual, or it's crowded because you are a family of four and your taking up the entire walkway as you trot down the street to get your pancakes AND doughnuts? And as you are walking, and laughing or
What do you do?
And here my friends, is where the "fork in the road" or the "path less traveled" or other wonderfully written analogies of a decision that is to be made are derived from. Most of the time, these decisions are metaphors for us when there is a significant, life-changing decision to be made. Maybe you are already starting to wonder where this is going. I mean, a sidewalk encounter is not a life changing moment or decision.
Or is it?
If it speaks to your ultimate character? Could it then be life changing? That's for you to decide. So, maybe the fork in the road analogy does apply. So here goes.
So you and your big family or your co-worker on a busy sidewalk come upon these other people. They are coming towards you walking in the other direction. And you are kind of taking up the sidewalk, and you know what? They are too. So what do you do?
There are two kinds of people in this world.
The people who don't move. And the people that do move. (Insert mic drop)
(OK awkwardly scramble to pick up the mic) It's that simple.
And OH MY LORDY LOOK WHO'S FORTY - (I'm not yet, FYI) - How this baffles my mind every time this encounter happens when someone doesn't budge.
"But Megan!" you're still saying, "This really isn't that big of a deal."
I know, but no - it is. This says a lot about you. Have you heard of that thing called the ego? The ego in all of us really likes itself, and takes care of numero uno. But the ego can be trained to go beyond itself. But that's another story. Let's bring it back.
The people that don't move.
I mean really, what's your story? I want to understand. The people that don't move as they are approaching you on the sidewalk. You try and wait it out too a little bit, they're going to move too right? Oh wait, they're looking up, I think they see me. Oh wait, nope - they're still headed on the same point of contact which is straight ahead, no moving. So you move over.
Sometimes you just have to move over a smidge for them. But have you been on those walks where there's three of them coming at you, they're all chatting, and they just keep on straight ahead? So you move over. Not on to part of the sidewalk, cause they're taking up all of it. Oh no, you get to move over on to some grass, in to a parking lot, the street, some dirt, or you get to hug a building for a second (I guess it needed some love too). And they just keep on going, you look back, you might see a hair flip, or some head throw back laughter because one of them just said something really funny, and you turn back around and think to yourself sarcastically, "You're welcome."
For the people that don't move, I would say they fall in to three categories.
1. They really don't care.
2. They really don't see you.
3. The assessor.
And all three of these have the "ego" written all over it.
The people that do move.
Bless your
I know right? What the hell, where did that come from? What - did you have sugar for breakfast? You facetiously laugh out loud. Ah- no, no they didn't. They're just nice.
For the people that do move, they too, fall in to three categories.
1. They really do care.
2. They see you (avatar style).
3. The affirmer. (I know, not a real world. Meaning: a person who affirms)
And these three categories have "you" or the "other people" written all over it.
<----- a="" affirms="" meaning:="" nbsp="" not="" others.="" p="" person="" who="" word.=""> You see, that's what a lot of us are missing today. The other people. Them, not just us. There is not a "them" without an "us". We are all on this sidewalk of life, the fork in the road. We all make choices, we all decide who is important and who isn't. But the fact of the matter is - we all matter. We are all important. The good, the bad, and the ugly. For there is good in the bad, and bad in the good. In all of us. Not one person is better than the other.
Now don't get me wrong, there are those that try to be the best "good" they can be, and there are those that don't try. And there are various stories, reasons, excuses, and pains that hold people back from their true potential of seeing the light, of being more good than bad. I get it, I've been there (and still go there sometimes too). But my point is - start seeing people. Start "moving". Start recognizing that we live in a world full of ego, a world full of hurt. And until we can "move" past ourselves, "move" past our ego, "move" past the judgment and the hate and the stereotypes. Maybe. Just maybe, we all have a chance at changing things, changing scenarios, changing the world.
And yes, all because you decided to "move" over on the sidewalk for someone else.
(There are two kinds of people: Part Two - The breakdown, will break down the categories and give more examples of There are two kinds of people) - not yet completed
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