STEREOTYPES

Nowadays, we tend to fit and place people in boxes according to the color
of their skin, place of birth, height, financial status, sexual orientation, and so
forth, without ever stopping to look at their qualities, circumstances, attributes,
points of view, necessities, etc.

There are those who think that in order to belong in a given box, we ought to
dress in a given way, drive a given make of car, hang out with some given
groups, or have a pony tail and act like a bohemian, etc.

Therefore, I am now making a point of being more open to the different ways
of thinking; of not judging people by their origin, color, lifestyle, preferences or
personal circumstances; of giving myself the opportunity to get to know them
and myself without establishing stereotypes that only manage to box me into a
prejudicial, shortsighted and narrow-minded way of thinking.

ULISES A. CASTRO