Have you ever?????

Seen someone that looked remarkably "different" and automatically passed judgement on what kind of person they are or you assumed they are?

I am quite embarrassed to say, I did just that the other day :(

I was at a training full of other elementary school teachers and about twenty minutes into the training a girl walked into the class. I am usually on-time(or within a few minutes and strive to be and it has always upset me when someone shows up to class late since they get the same number of hours as someone who is on time), but in walks this "teacher".

She is dressed in all black-grunge.....VERY VERY pale and thin with her hair dyed JET black. Automatically, I passed judgement on what kind of person she "must" be. When she turned around after signing in, I noticed the black gothic make-up, jewelry and the front of her hair dyed bright BLUE!!

I continued my "assessment" of her and was not at all disappointed when she choose to sit in the empty seat NOT next to me.

After awhile in our original groups, we were "mixed" up a bit and I ended up sitting at a table with said educator. I couldn't imagine what kind of person would be dressed that way and the bright purple eyeshadow did nothing to help.

However, after the nearly four hours of training that we were seated at the same grouping, I realized how shallow it was of me (and many others, I am sure) to have assumed that this girl was freaky just because she didn't fit the "normal stereotype teacher model" that most of the other participants did.

I hang my head in shame and vow to myself to be less quick to pass judgements on others. PROMISE.