Relationships

Human beings name and structure many of their relationships around abstract concepts. This person is my second cousin. That person is my spouse. That other person is my colleague's daughter-in-law. He was married to the president of such-and-such.

How much of this naming and structuring is functional? How much of it gets in the way of people knowing each other simply as people? The boundaries and taboos that accompany some of these relationships may stand in the way of true love and appreciation between some human beings. The insistence of granting provenance to other people in introductions can as easily alienate as endear.

I have made it my practice to ignore labels. I am not impressed or intimidated by titles. I am confident enough in my own judgment to not fear conventional taboos in conversation. I find that this mind-set helps me to be less ageist, less racist, less sexist. In general, it is a practice of openness to other human beings as human beings without the inhibitions of names and structures.