Individuality

I was raised by my parents to have a "live and let live" philosophy regarding life.  Every single person and creature on Earth is an individual.  We are each shaped by the unique experiences that we have experienced at various times in our development and lives - and they are unique only to one individual.  Each individual sees, hears, tastes, touches and experiences the environment in their own unique way.  (My best friend says Coca-Cola tastes too sweet; I love Coke, and think that Pepsi-Cola tastes too sweet... and we respect each others' tastes.)
  I really can't understand all the media hyperbole regarding Bruce, now Caitlyn, Jenner.  As a younger person, he had male genitals and won Gold medals in the Olympics.  Now she wants to be acknowledged as a woman.  What's the big deal?  Through human history, people have been heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual - there were quite a few people who were transgender, and chose to live their lives as a member of the opposite sex.  That was something that was not widespread, but was a societal occurrence.  My feelings?  Be who you are.  Be yourself.  Personally, I'd rather you be yourself and let me know the real you, than have you act in a certain way because it's expected.  My parents taught me openness and acceptance - and I hope that I have been able to pass that on to my kids and grandkids.  Feeling and being different from others makes one unique.  And I like and embrace uniqueness.
   Just think what the world would be like if there was no individuality.  Each person would be the same height, the same weight, the same body shape, move exactly the same way, have the same skin coloring, the same hair color, the same haircut, the same eyes, the same features.  Every one's voice would sound the same, everyone would wear the same clothes, in the same colors.  There would be only one kind of music, if any; everyone would either be a hermaphrodite, or have some type of a self-reproducing system.  There would be no males and no females.  Everyone would think the same.  Everything would taste the same - no salt and pepper on the table, as food would always be the same, and people wouldn't even think of changing the taste or doing something different from everyone else on the Earth.  Blah.  Bland.  The same every second of every day for every body.  Can you really imagine such a thing?  I can't.
   Way back, in the mid-to late 1960s, Star Trek, the science fiction television series that dealt with current societal issues, brought forth the idea of IDIC - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combination.  I fell in love with that idea in 1968, when it was introduced.  I have tried to live my life since then in accepting every one's individuality and admiring their diversity and differences.  I try to understand where ideas differ, and how and why they differ.  I may not agree with them completely - but I accept them - and that makes me an individual.
  For this week, and for the rest of your lives, please try to accept the idea of individuality  -  it's what makes us human....