dividing lines... common ground

My brother posted a little note this week on his Sunday School class page about the things that divide us as people... some of the most obvious are race, politics, religion, sex, sexual orientation... but just now... as I was folding laundry (don't faint... it's that time of month - Laundry Folding Time)... I thought of a few more dividing lines...

How about... ability to fold a fitted sheet while standing up? Martha Stewart can. I can't. I require the use of a flat surface (usually the floor)

And... speaking of using the floor... are you someone who always breaks out the ironing board whenever it's time to press a few wrinkles? Or do you employ whatever's handy... such as the bed, the floor, etc? (this was the cause of a three day argument with Darby... it's funny now... at the time I was in a state of WTF?)

Are you in the toilet paper over the top or from the bottom of the roll person? (Or are you like me and the toilet paper never makes it on the holder?)

Make your bed every day or not? (As I've mentioned before, I'm in the "sleep on top of the covers" camp so that my bed is always made)

Are you one of those people who can never leave the house without makeup... or do you not care?

Breeder or not?

Cat person or dog person?

Do you have a pile of clean laundry waiting to be put away or are you one of those organized people that immediately folds and puts away straight out of the dryer?

Shower or bath?

Boxers or briefs?

I had a good one yesterday... my doctor asked if I prefered my anti-nausea meds in pill or suppository form... just for the record, I'm on Team Pill.

Country or city?

Rock or country?

Are you one of those people that always wears some sort of foot covering? Or are you (like me) as barefoot as you can be, as much as you can be?

Are you introvert or extrovert? I think we've already established that I am an extrovert - an anti-social extrovert, but extrovert nonetheless.

Night owl or early bird?

Eggs scrambled or fried?

Smoking or non-smoking?

Wine or beer?

I mean... there are just so many things that differentiate us from each other... and you are never more acutely aware of these differences than if you're in the dating pool. Every. Single. New. relationship requires that you answer these questions as part of the vetting process. It's exhausting.

Do you eat every meal at the kitchen table? Or are you - like me - unable to remember the last meal you had at a table that wasn't a restaurant.

Sing in the shower? Or no?
Sing along to the car radio? Or not?
Floss after every meal?
Wash your hands every time you to go the bathroom?
Chapstick or blistex?
Vanilla or chocolate?
Coffee or tea?

And then there are those multiple choice affiliations like sports teams... so many things to make us different.

But I guess... what we have to keep in mind... are the things that make us the same: we are born, we grow, we love, we live, we die.

Everyone has something that is their *worst thing* that is happening to them right now. A friend texted me yesterday about the kidney stones and said, "it could be worse, right?" Well. Sure. And I know that it's not the end of the world as we know it... but for now... my pain is my worst thing. And whatever is heavy on your heart, mind, wallet or ... well, kidneys... is your worst thing. It's all relative... related to how it affects us.

Everyone has basic needs... air, water, food, love...
Everyone has basic rights... freedom, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness...
Everyone poops.

And one thing that really amazes me, the longer I write this blog, is how much I have in common with people from all over the world... My old boss, Kathy, once remarked about me that I have a gift of finding something in common with every single person I talk to. There's always something... always some common thread... some way that you can connect with others... some way that you can find compassion for them... and I think you live your best life when you focus on those similarities more than the differences.

Time to get ready for weigh in. Let's hope today that I'm a loser!