Pause for Thought - I am not a robot

Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in Pause for Thought on 7th May, 2021

It is all too easy to go through our days comparing ourselves to those around us, wishing that we were as bright, as funny or as intelligent as our colleagues and friends. Jez Brown, Lead Chaplain, reminds us that we are all human with a list of wonderful, positive attributes that help make us, 'us' and that these things should be championed and celebrated. Jez says: 

"A couple of things over the Bank Holiday weekend caused me to stop and to reflect.

"What started me thinking was when I was using my bank card to pay for online access to watch my beloved Torquay United in their latest quest to gain promotion into the Football League. They have been out of the higher divisions for far too many years! I followed the usual routine entries, and then up on my screen popped:

‘Please tick this box to confirm that you are not a robot’.

"Now, of course, this has happened to me in the past – as I’m sure it has to you too - and I have happily clicked the box without thinking too much about it. But this time I paused, and thought. This box doesn’t express nearly enough about me! I want a much more positive alternative! I want to be able to tick a box that says,

‘I’m human, I have feelings, I smile, I cry, I love my family and friends, I have dreams and hopes and…and…’

"I suppose what lay at the heart of my reaction is that, on occasions, we can allow our feelings about what we are not to over-ride the positives of what or who we are. It is so easy for us to look around and see all that other people are achieving, or the personality traits in them that we like, and to compare ourselves unfavourably - for whatever reason. Reasons might include having low self-esteem because something hurtful was said to us many years ago that has stuck with us. Maybe we are slower than others to learn new skills. Whatever the reason, we create our own personal anthem: ‘I will never be able to…’ or ‘I wish I was different’ or ‘I wish I could be like them.’

"Later over the weekend I was able to enjoy a socially-distanced ice cream with my lovely granddaughter who is five and three quarters! “I’m nearly six granddad!” “I’m big!”

"We hadn’t seen each other for far too long. We walked along the seafront, and I smiled as she wore her chocolate ice cream with pride - all around her face, across her freckled nose and in her hair as the wind occasionally got up. ‘I missed you granddad!’

"My heart melted even more quickly than her ice cream. I am not a robot…

"…and neither are you my friend.