Labels that blind..?

I look at this sleek necked creature and wonder... What can a Giraffe possibly teach us? Rather than pursue the question, we might just label him/her, dismiss them and move on. This lesson came home to me when I went to El Salvador. The war was still going on. I came to understand that the words "Communist" and "Atheist" were often used to describe those who worked for Peace and Justice. The label, in to many cases, clouded and dismissed any actions on behalf of Peace and Justice. Dom Helda Camera knew this from first hand experience. He said, "When I feed the poor, they call me a Saint.. When I ask WHY they are poor..they call me a Communist! At an evening presentation, a young man, who named himself, an Atheist, shared the work he was doing on behalf of his people. His work encompassed securing basic needs like water, food, and medicine, at the risk of his life. He and his people wanted more out of life than poverty and suffering, and were willing to risk asking.. Why? Listening to that young man describe his work and risk,moved me deeply. He might have labeled himself "Atheist", but his actions spoke much louder than the label. When he finished speaking, I said to him: you may name yourself an Atheist, but your actions on behalf of your people, at the risk of your life, speak to me of deep love, a love that many of us who name our selves Christian have yet to achieve. Thank you! His Actions helped me to move beyond the label..to see the fuller picture of who he was...! And Giraffe? One of Her/his unique gifts is the ability to see the "bigger picture"! Help your family to develop that gift, dear Giraffe, so that we can see each other more fully without labels.