This, dear readers, is a Shoebill. It’s a stork-like bird that lives in East Africa. It can get up to almost 5 feet tall. Now I don’t know about you, but if I ran into one of these suckers in a dark alley, I’d soil myself. They look angry and aggressive. They look like they could really f*** you up. Look at those vicious little eyes and that massive, dangerous looking bill!
Actually, unless you’re a fish on its menu, in which case you’re likely to be decapitated in its powerful jaws, this bird is actually quite tame, and will often fly off and abandon its nest if you try to approach. The vast majority of the Shoebill’s time is spent in a zen-like silent and motionless state.
You can’t judge a book by its cover. That’s true with people, too.
It is a natural survival mechanism to see things and draw immediate conclusions, but sometimes it means you’re missing out on opportunities to know some pretty amazing people.
The sweet, generous, and amazing man who bought me this laptop has a two foot long beard. I’m sure that because of that a lot of people make assumptions about him and think they won’t be able to relate to him at all. That’s a shame.
I know someone else who had to have brain surgery decades ago, and because of that half his face sags and he slurs his words when he’s particularly tired. A lot of people actually assume he’s retarded when in fact his IQ is quite high. Babies look at him and cry because he cannot smile. It must be exhausting having to get past the assumptions of every single person you meet before you can have an intelligent conversation.
By all means, trust your survival instinct when you find yourself in a questionable situation. When alone in a parking garage, profile with impunity is my philosophy. But next time you’re in a café, for example, maybe try to allow yourself a few extra minutes to delve deeper into the people that you meet. You never know what treasures you may unearth.
There are a lot of figurative Shoebills in this world. Each one is priceless.
The View from a Drawbridge 
We’ve come a long way from hiding people with disabilites behind closed doors. Telling children not to ask why somebody has a scarred face or wooden leg. The wonderful soldier/actor/dancer J.R. Martinez softened our hearts and opened our eyes to how wonderful people are if we do not judge them by their looks. I try and step out of my comfort zone whenever in a grocery store, movie or other place. I no longer shy away, because I have learned that, even though I thought I was not putting them into an embarassing position, actually I was shunning them and passing up a possible smile and giving moment. Now I feel every opportunity missed is a friendship bypassed. I also think of all I would have missed if I hadn’t commented the first time on Your Blog, You have enriched my life in so many ways with just words on paper. But these words can help change lives. Thanks.
“Every opportunity missed is a friendship bypassed.” That’s going in my quote book. And as always, you give the most profound compliments. Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend.
I have daughters and a wife… I know all about shoe bills… HA!!!
IF I could have one quality added to my life it would be your talent for a quick comebacks and short funny sideway glances at life. I so enjoy the back and forth between you and Barb.
Thanks… it might be my one true gift…
Oh, I don’t know, Art. You may have a few more gifts scattered about. 🙂
I made naked minions in Photoshop today…
I’m afraid to look.
as well you should be
I may only have met the two of you through this blog, Carole, but I find you both to be high points in my day. If I got nothing else from this blog (and I get much) I would be grateful for both of you.
Boooo…. 🙂
I was sort of proud of that one