How well do we really know each other?

You know those people that you see everyday at school or work, maybe you talk to them sometimes or say hi in the hallway, you might have known them for a few years now but do you really know them? Oh you do ok, what’s their birthday? What made them laugh the most? Where are they from? Were you surprised by how little you knew? No ok, well are you really sure about your answers or were you just guessing?

Earlier this year my peers and I had to do an activity in class where we each wrote down three things about ourselves that most people didn’t know and then had to read at least one of them aloud to the group. It was pretty easy for me to think of what to say because I was new to the school and I had only known these people for about 2 weeks, but as people started to read their answers out I was surprised by how amazed their classmates were, these were people who had known each other for a good few years now and yet they were still surprised by the things one another were telling them. To tell you the truth I was also surprised by what people said. That day I learned so many interesting things about my classmates and it got me thinking, I wonder what would happen if we took the time to really get to know the people in our lives?

Everyday we make tons of assumptions about people without even realizing it, we look at someone and infer things about their lives, job, where they are from and never bother to check if what what we believe is true. We see people and make stereotypes about them giving them labels such as rich, smart, stupid, popular, troublesome, dangerous, rude. We somehow think that people always fit into one category or trope and that everyone like them is the same but imagine if we actually spoke to one another and took the time to listen to the stories people have to tell. I think  that even if we knew just a little bit more about the people in our lives we would have a greater appreciation of them.

Especially now with social media we are fed lies about people and think that by scrolling through their instagram we can know everything about them. Think about it, you’ve just seen a picture of someone, they are in a beautiful, place with their friends, laughing having fun, looking amazing, but this is just one edited aspect of their life. They chose this picture to let the world see an image where they looked the best and in the nicest location and lighting, it could have taken them forever to get the perfect angle and background. Social media is a window through which we are permitted to view others “lives,” but only the most beautiful parts glossed over with smiles and fake laughter.  We can’t know a person just by seeing what they want others to see.  Knowing someone is about being there for them not just in the picture worthy moments but when they need a friend, someone who’ll listen to what they have to say, support them and help them realize that they don’t always have to be perfect, because life isn’t perfect.