Do You Marvel at the Differences in People?

Flowers are so unique — author photo

Aren’t the differences between and within people among the most interesting observations we can make in life? The contrasts can be simple likes and dislikes or can go far deeper to our core beliefs and motivations.

My mashed potatoes have to have lumps, while another person uses a blender to make them as smooth as whipped cream. My husband is a russet man, don’t put a sweet potato on his plate — while I can eat those orange spuds grilled-smashed-cubed-boiled.

Jackie and I both dislike clowns — the face paint freaks us out, let alone orange hair standing two feet tall — but we love laughing more than almost anything else in the world. Give us The Three Stooges or The Big Bang lunacy and we’re happy gals.

I like eggs, but not chicken. My brother likes chicken, but not eggs. We older sisters and our brother avoid Halloween, although we had fun as kids, while the last of us — ten years my younger — goes Munster with her creepy October parties.

Friends with whom I enjoy a particular genre of book may completely differ with me on the movies we watch. Or, two of you can love reading mysteries, but one will love romances and the other (me) avoid them.

Some of us relax on a Friday night with a glass of Italian red wine and putting our feet up — nice and quiet with one of those good books or a show we’ve been wanting to binge watch (The best way to indulge in the Downton Abbey experience.) or a chat with your spouse. Others like to go out with friends to a restaurant or bar and soak in a loud, boisterous atmosphere — getting regenerated by being with a group.

Many of us are homebodies, enjoying time spent with friends who stop by for a casual visit. Others of us live by the no-moss-growing-on-this-rolling stone because we thrive on traveling hither and yon. Or, we’re a combination of both. I love to be home — LOVE TO BE HOME. But if my hiking shoes aren’t stepping on turf other than that found in Pittsburgh every six weeks or so, I start to fray a bit around the edges.

From food, to books, to movies, to life enjoyments, our intrinsic likes and dislikes are as multi-faceted as a well-cut diamond.