If a child is not the most academically gifted, it cannot be because they are not the best - oh no - it’s because they have ADHD, mild autism, dyspraxia or some other such affliction.
If somebody is not happy, it can’t be because they are unhappy - it’s because they are bi-polar, or suffer from manic depression.
If somebody cannot get up, and get on with things, it’s not because they are lazy - it’s because they have ME, or some incalculably rare immuno deficiency affliction.
Why are there so many labels? Has political correctness gone so mad that we cannot use plain english any more? While there are of course some people who do suffer from real conditions, and their life is made difficult because of it, invariably these people are the most humble, the strongest, and the last to complain.
Some perspective is required.
I am colour blind. It doesn’t mean I have some inner eye dysfunction with a five syllable name that I “suffer” from. It just means I see things differently than you do.
I have crap balance. This doesn’t mean I have an inner ear disorder that I’m going to pay doctors thousands to investigate; it just means I hop comedically around the room when putting socks on (I know, I know… I could sit down to put socks on).
I was rubbish at school. This doesn’t mean I had any sort of learning difficulty what-so-ever. I did like daydreaming though, and have never been the most clever person on the planet.
I DO have a genetic defect somewhere in the billions of chromosomes that comprise my DNA. It explains our eventual route towards adopting children, but it is not something that has changed me, or my outlook, in any way, shape or form. It does not explain me liking a glass of wine, or not going to church.
I don’t go to church because I personally don’t believe any of it. I don’t push this view on anybody else, and I while I respect other people’s beliefs, I don’t expect them to push theirs on me. I will never make statements about my “lack of faith” on public forums (this blog post excepted).
What am I saying?
If you don’t label me, I won’t label you. I might describe you; interesting, clever, wise, funny, valued. These too are labels, but I am thinking about you when I conjure them - not that you are one of the interesting people, or one of the funny people.
There’s a difference.