In a diverse and challenging world, accept and embrace those who are different than you

A man says "I love you" in sign language. We could all use a little more love and acceptance in our lives, writes today's columnist. (Getty Images)

Growing up, I always felt like I could basically be myself.

I did the things that I wanted to do and didn’t feel like my mom and dad were breathing down my neck, advising me on how to express myself. Although I attended a private school while growing up, I embraced the beat of the drum of what I wanted to say, of what I wanted to do, of who I wanted to be. My faith journey was important to me, and I cared for others. I cheered on the underdog, and I always gave voice to those who had no voice.

I think we live in a day when many people feel they cannot be themselves. They feel as though they have to conform to whatever the phrase “normal and acceptable” means, and they rush to fit in. They don’t want to make waves. They don’t want to be different for fear of getting kicked out of the human race.

When I was diagnosed with a mental illness, my family started worrying about me. My mom began checking all the time to make sure I was okay, and I lost a little bit of my former freedom to be and do as I wanted. I realize that others may feel that way for whatever reason within their own families or circle of friends.

Maybe society has squelched one’s true voice. We all have a story to tell. We all have a song to sing.

To me, life is like falling in love. One sees someone whom they can relate to and live with and give their heart to. That person somehow understands them. They hear them and see them unlike any other. That’s what we need to have in life — someone who understands us. We need to learn to be ourselves.

In today’s world however, finding our own voice can be daunting. Finding our way, especially for a young person, can prove intimidating and challenging. Young people these days can often feel lost and hopeless.

Hate has unfortunately become an epidemic, and people hate what they don’t understand. I was at a friend’s house the other night chatting, and I started discussing mental illness and some of the issues related to it. My friend and his wife acted like they truly didn’t know how to respond. He said something kind of weird, and they looked at me as thought I was an alien. I left feeling sad and rejected.

That’s not how we should feel when we are open about ourselves and our struggles — with mental health or any other challenges. We should be accepted and embraced, warts and all.

I think it’s high time we looked at the value of every person.  When I do my gift card drives for local nonprofits, I think of each recipient feeling validated and loved. We need to challenge ourselves to look beyond the labels of each person to the worth that lives blazing inside of them. Today, each one of us can put fear aside to embrace others and their wonderful worth.