As some of you will know, I have recently broken my big toe and consequently am struggling to walk. Last Saturday was my little sisters 16th birthday, so I went home to celebrate with her and went to Chester Zoo. I knew that 7 hours of none stop walking would be painful so I swallowed my pride and asked if I could be pushed around in a wheelchair, which my wonderful parents agreed to.
Being in a wheelchair meant that people treated me very differently, children stared trying to work out what was wrong with me. Whilst adults were helpful, allowing me closer to exhibits than they would have done otherwise, due to being in a chair. Which got me thinking, how do I treat people differently due to what they are doing/the clothes they're wearing the first time I meet someone. And, that I need to stop that. Firstly, the situation they are in maybe a one off, but secondly (and more importantly) why should a favour someone over someone else due to the first impression they gave off. I should get to know someone before a make a decision about what I think of them.
The second thing the day taught me is a more personal thing. I didn't want to spend the day in the wheelchair, due to knowing it was putting my parents out, who then had to push me round. I didn't feel I was injured enough to ask this of them. The only reason I made myself ask, was so it wouldn't ruined my sisters day. In the same way, when I was ill with depression I didn't want to depend on others because I wasn't ill enough. And I think this is an issue with a lot of mental illnesses. You perceive yourself unworthy of help, because people are more ill than you, and ignore the fact the people you are asking help off are better than you. Why? For me, it was because I didn't want to be perceived as being needy, I wanted to give across the impression of being better than I was, I didn't want to be judged. When I got out the wheelchair, I had a limp, which I felt justified me to everyone else who wondered why I was in the chair. But with mental illnesses, there are very few physical signs which makes it hard for others to see what is wrong.
So my challenge to you is this, next time see meet someone, don't jump to a conclusion about them. You don't know how life has treated them, and may never know, but that doesn't mean you should treat them any differently. For there is likely to be a reason behind the character trait that annoys you, or their outrageous behaviour, but treat them the same and try and get to know the person. And you'll be likely to find many amazing things that makes you forget those first impressions.
