All my life I have been invisible and I never knew why. It was not a really problem till even the automatic doors would not open for me. Okay, lame joke, but it is embarrassing as all get out when you walk into a perfectly operation automatic door. The truth is people would not look at me, they would not listen or they could not here me. I always knew what would happen and I would say something to no avail. I never thought there was anything wrong with me and just figured people were bleeped up bleep bleeps. (I like to stay censored since I have young children and would dislike a slip up that caused a four year old slip up)
One day I did something for a completely different reason. There is plenty of cancer through my family and the popular one to have lately is one form of skin cancer or another. Being the spotty person I am, and having a knack for doing the thing that is right, although not always obvious, I made an appointment with the dermatologist.
There are many things, as it turns out, that make a person more or less susceptible to getting skin cancer. One is called Dysplastic Nevi; this means having more than a hundred moles and can increase the risk. Others are plenty of sun exposure, tanning contest, outdoor recreation, family history, skin tone, etc. This did not bode well for me since I am a spotty person who rarely if ever used sunscreen growing up in San Diego CA spending my days swimming or getting a darker tan then everyone else. Lucky for me I am not fair skinned. But when my uncle found cancer in one of his spots that he had all his life, I decided to have my matching one removed. It took eleven stitches to remove the thing from inbetween my keft brow and the bridge of my nose...that's right. 11!!!. I did not think it was that big but I guess pencil erasers are small till you compare it with your face.
When the stitches were removed you would not believe how my life changed. People talked to me, said excuse me, made eye contact. People whom I have been seeing on the airlift for years actually started a conversation with me out of the blue, listened to what I had to say, and even thought of what I had said later and offered me a hot wing. I even got to meet a real Navajo Indian- Code talker...that is for another post.
One little spot can make a difference I guess. I had a weird view of people before, a general distaste and yet a love too. Now that I have this new found sociability, I am not sure if I have more disgust at their superficiality or an eagerness to actually interact with my own (real live people) for a change. The unseen is so much clearer now...
http://www.health.uab.edu/default.aspx?pid=20777
Never judge people and do not be afraid to look people in the eye even if they are diffrent. As with all cancers, always keep and eye out for changes or abnormality...if in dought ask your Doctor.
Introduction to what health and wellness is
Government's role in health and wellness
An interesting and insightful post. I try to make and keep eye contact, and talk to as many interesting characters as I can--you can never know who you're going to meet. Despite that, I'm still very shy and hope for all shy folks to avoid meeting people who aren't interested in socializing; people who are downright aggressive.
Cheers from Union Jane
"I have only ever made one prayer a very short one: "God, make my enemies ridiculous." And God made it so." --Voltaire
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." --Eleanor Roosevelt
wow, i love how you gave such a meaningful message, this is why i make it a point to talk to people who you will not think are the girl next door, i mean the nonblonde skinny type, i talk to those i think are not noticed. i was you, really i was, i did get noticved only because of my head covering, now i chose not to wear it and after that i did not get noticed until i did something out of ordinary, for me, it was start wearing more fashionable clothes and not wearing a pony tail every day. I still don't shop at expensive stores, the a'f or hillister, but i am more open to wearing more colors even those that i hate such as pink.
Above All - Do no harm
sometimes i wonder if i'd be treated differently if i didn't have my birthmark (on my face as well). one time someone actually told me that i'd be drop dead gorgeous IF i didn't have it. sad to wonder cause i'll never know.
http://progressiveu.org/160921-self-nostalgia
Kids see better then adults. One time a kid asked me what that was on my head, iwas about to tell him when his mother shushed him and looked at the register saying 'kids'
I bet your beautiful with it, not that beauty on the outside matters.
all truths are easy to understand once discovered; the point is to discover them ~galileo
One little spot can make a difference I guess.
wow! when you apply this very same concept to skin color and the treatment blacks continue to receive because of the racism of the founding fathers... you really might have something worthwhile of being said aloud.
(A portion of this comment has been removed for a TOS violation by BurningExample on 6/6)
maklemel seconths
Oh god, not more of you sun god destroys whitey only people.
Gosh I guess I better rush out to the local hospital and let those sinning skin cancer patients know their melanoma is because of their ancestors!
I feel enlightened by your tact and dedication to the cause of racism.
P.S. People of all races suffer from skin cancer.
yeah its really sad how appearance can make such a difference in grabbing peoples attention.. some very pretty people can be the most insitefull people in the world but people will listen to what they have to say just because of the fact that they are pretty. Kinda disappointing huh
I'm amazed that a spot created all the difference, but it is an interesting study of sociology.
Nice tips on the skin cancer thing. Cancer is just one of those tricky diseases that appears to come from just about anythng. That's why I'll never tan in one of those tanning beds. It never seemed safe to begin with.
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Mind Control is Easier Than You Think