How awkward is it when you see someone with a slight deformity and can't stop staring. Face burns, missing fingers, half an arm, two heads (okay maybe that's a bit extreme but you get the picture), no matter how much you try you can't stop. This is by no means intentional of course. I'm sure many of us have been taught from an early age that it's rude to stare, and boy don't we know it. But, ironically, it seems the more you try NOT to stare the more you do, rendering all 'avert-gaze' efforts futile and useless anyway. You're brain is muttering 'don't stare at burn, don't stare at burn (or whatever this deformity might be), but your eyes of course, being the rebellious little buggers they are, move to do exactly that.
So why am I ranting about deformities and staring you ask? Well, today I had a little taste of what it feels like to be on the other side...
A major downside to having a cute little cat at home is my allergy to cat fur, which over the past couple of days has really decided to flare up. A side-effect of said allergy is swollen, red, puffy eyes that make me look slightly asian (no racism intended). Today, the asian eyes decided to come out, which was probably not the best of times as I was off to Mount Barker for my internship. There I was on the bus, so engrossed in my magazine that the fact my eyes were 'deformed' completely left me. It was not until I noticed a couple of stares that I thought hey, I'm either having a really good hair day or something is up...ah, of course, the eyes.
And let me tell you people, it did not feel good. I felt vulnerable, insecure and embarrassed over some swollen eyes that were masked by make-up anyway...I can only imagine what it might feel like to have a permanent deformity... So, if there's one thing I can take away from this it's please, stop staring, let us try at least, to stop placing so much emphasis on the superficial.
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