S ~ S

Do what? . . . and why? There are too many things I have to do which most people think are sense-less.

Those who can learn by reading and/or listening to instructions are unable and/or unwilling to understand why some other people cannot. Unless I can get my hands on and be involved with what I’m learning, it practically does me no good to read or listen to what there is about something I’m seeking to be better educated about. At the very least, I need examples that I can relate to. That’s why almost nothing or no one is as good of a teacher for me as parables and analogies, especially those I’ve experienced and can relate to!¹

The result of my being that way (and maybe for others too who learn in the same fashion?) is that others often judge me as being stupid. It doesn’t help that I talk slowly and/or require more time to “get into” what it is that’s to intellectually absorb, especially if I’m being distracted and under pressure.

Here’s an example: If I must depend on audible directions to get somewhere (written directions are better, but they must be precise!), I usually end up simply trusting my intuitive sense of direction (which is excellent . . . like migrating birds and/or insects when they must travel long distances). If I can have a map, waa-laa! . . . never a problem then to get from point A to point B (unless of course something like traffic prevents me from being able to look at the map and use it!)! As for my ability to find my way back from somewhere new? . . . I never get lost and don’t even need a map! . . . because getting there was something I could do (as opposed to something you can only read about or listen to).

There is a plus side to the requirement of doing to learn and that is I can explain things in ways no one else does. I admit it is rare for someone to desire listening to me, but when they do, I cannot count how many times I’ve heard people tell me, “I’ve never thought of it that way before. You’re making me think more about this now.”

Why am I writing this? Because I don’t know how many other people there are who don’t realize the damage they are doing when they are ignorant over why a person might be behaving in an odd and/or unusual manner. It’s like a parent who irritatingly says to their child, “Why must you do that!?!” They’re annoyed because they don’t understand. Plus, I know people are highly impatient these days and have very little tolerance for someone who has to literally pick things part and analyze each piece before they get it.²

When someone is and does things differently, people are usually afraid of that person. They are quick to look for a reason to shun odd ducks so they don’t feel guilty for being rude. Everyone does it, so it’s socially acceptable. In fact, it’s unacceptable behavior not to do so.

¹No wonder most people couldn’t understand why I enjoyed having the license plate “RODEROAD” when I once upon a time had a car! Did people read it as saying roder oad? No one I knew of understood it to mean, “I’ve been down that road before.” I thought it was the perfect plate to have on the back of a car because, no matter where I drove, I already had rode that piece of the road by the time the backside of my car got there. Okay, it’s dumb humor . . . but again, I had a reason; albeit, no one knew what it could be! [I enjoyed watching the stunned and puzzled expressions it could provoke.]

²Here’s another example of how this works: I had no idea that when I applied for a job as a locksmith in 1980, I was doing anything exceptional by being able to take a lock apart and reassemble it. I was told, out of about 100 applicants, only one other person besides me could put the lock back together again. All the kings horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put the little lock back together again? I had no clue such things were that hard for people to do — just like most people have no clue why things they can easily do often times appear difficult for me.