caricatures...

Just like the quick pen strokes of a caricature artist,

it only takes us minutes to form a perception of others.

Sometimes there is truth in our perception. (We really do look like that?)

Many times there's not.

How often do we stop and consider whose image we've distorted?

Who have we painted to be one way in our minds,

(our parents, our children, our spouses, our bosses)

bending and exaggerating characteristics and quirks

which only serve to contort the reality of who they are? 

Will we choose to believe our own caricatures of others?  

Or even those we've painted of ourselves?

Or will we choose to see what's beyond the canvas?

Will we seek to see what's really there, 

which is probably not as stagnant and unchangeable 

as we, the artist, have made them out to be.

Can we see the silliness in the distortions we've created

and then say, "I see you, a beautiful mess, for who you really are."

Let's stop painting the caricatures in our heads.

Let's give others the benefit of the doubt.

And let's choose to LOVE.