True colors

I feel like I have so many friends and family who have blessed my life, and I have been influenced, blessed, and touched by so many people.  As I've watched and observed people react to other people who may be acting up or struggling with things, I have wondered....Why is it that when someone shows us their ugly side, the side when they have a short temper or act very selfishly, that we say "We saw so-and-so's true colors today."?  I am not sure that this is an accurate statement for the times when we are showing others our bad side, for the moments when we lash out irrationally, or lose our temper, or act cantankerous.

I love being a human being.  I have learned so many wonderful things and had so many wonderful connecting experiences with other people.  I have learned to see things from other's perspectives, and particularly relish the perspectives of those who may be labeled "special needs", as they truly see the world differently, in a way that is often refreshing to me.  I first noticed this interesting point of view when I was a teenager, doing summer tutoring of a boy (now a man and my friend) with autism.  My own son (diagnosed with mild autism and ADHD) has often astonished me with the way he looks at life and the world. 

Along my path to becoming a teacher, I was required to take a "Human Exceptionality" class, which is like an introductory class into the field of special education.  I did not expect to love it as much as I did.  Here is an area where educators truly are on a journey of discovery, where the goal is to find ways to tap into and discover what a child is really capable of and to help them find ways to bring it out.  As I recognized that I have the ability to find ways to truly help people shine, to find their nitch and use their strengths to help them in areas where they struggle, I really loved it--I am now debating whether to change my major to special education.

All human beings have special needs.  Some people's needs are blaringly obvious, and others are more subtle.  Some people REALLY do need food more often or they get "hangry" (hunger induced anger).  Different people function better with varying amounts of sleep.  Some kids need medication, some kids need extra training at how to deal with social situations, some kids need extra time and effort to learn and memorize things.  Those with severe disabilities may need extra time and effort to help them learn how to eat on their own, how to communicate with others at all, how to walk.  The list goes on and on, but we ALL have needs different from each other.

True colors, though?  Our true colors aren't seen with human eyes.  God sees them.  He sees EVERYTHING.  He knows what we can become, and I think if we could glimpse it, we'd be amazed.  Actually, this goes beyond what I think.  This is something I know--I've asked to be given the gift to see potential in others that I had stewardship over.  I wasn't given some grand vision of how their lives would play out, but I was given to feel a deep sense of love for them and a mighty level of respect.  I knew I was dealing with amazing people who would do amazing things.  I have yet to see all the amazing things they'll do, they have many years left (hopefully.)  I KNOW if we could glimpse our potential, if we could see what God sees, if we could see everyone's true colors, we'd behave differently towards each other, and we'd respect each other so much more.

I think too often we use the phrase "true colors" to describe seeing someone in their worst moments as well as their best.  And it does take loyalty and patience to love some people through their worst and best moments.  Still, I believe we are God's creations, he owns us.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.) While our true colors are sometimes hidden behind those worst moments, waiting to peek out, hopefully they can be recognized, praised, and drawn upon so they can be more easily seen by ourselves and others. 

There is a short video on creating which fits so well with what I'm talking about.  One of the apostles in my church spoke a few years ago about how we all have gifts and a deep yearning to create.  It's 2 minutes long, and full of awesome truth.  Uchtdorf: Create message  Our true colors shine when we create something and we feel excited about it.  If we are truly children of God, and I believe we are, creation is part of our nature.  I think sometimes we fail to recognize people's true colors because we always think of creation as something "artsy".  Creating goes far beyond what can be displayed in a talent show.  For example, my dear friend has a son who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was an infant.  He is a beautiful little boy, although he has some noticeable scars on his head.  He can not communicate verbally, he does not walk, not yet anyway.  How does this little man create?  He has a very contagious laugh, he has a beautiful smile, he claps when he is happy.  He creates feelings of happiness and love in people around him.  I am sure that more of his true colors will come out as he grows and people continue to quest for them, and help him to recognize them as well.  Our true colors come out when we find things we are passionate about, things we love, those things we have a gift for or a yearning for. 

Everyone's true colors are different.  They are as diverse as the way we look--diversity is so important in humanity.  I think, God being the amazing creator that he is, blessed us all with different palettes.  My true colors aren't the same as yours.  I am NOT crafty.  I can't decorate.  If interior decorating had been a graded class in school, I'd have needed a tutor, intervention, special education, something, because I just don't get it.  I know people who have such a gift for it, and I am in awe.  I also struggle to do much with makeup or hair.  I am often taken aback at women who always look perfect (to me), and so well put together.  I know I have gifts and talents, but they're in a different realm.  Ask me to teach children music, and I GOT THIS!!  I enjoy questing for knowledge with anyone, but especially my children.  I love gardening.  I think those are some of the "colors" that God put on my palette for creating with.

My point in all of this?  Perhaps it's just that I'm a very optimistic and "see the good" type person, but I think it's very important to be careful and not call someone's worst moments their "true colors".  It's most likely the other way around--they may have a problem with behaviors or struggles that eclipse their true colors.  Hopefully with the right knowledge and skills, and with loyal and patient friends, teachers, and family, they can be helped so that their amazing true colors have the opportunity to come forward and make the world a better place.  I want to be able to recognize more people's true colors, and more importantly to help them see their own true colors, to believe in what they can be.  Wouldn't the world be an amazing place if we could always see true colors in people everywhere we went?  Don't you think it would be marvelous if a child who was experiencing the "eclipse" of a special need could be seen for their talents and potential, and not just their struggles?  That is what I think the phrase "I just saw their true colors" should really mean.