You are special

Have you ever known a set of twins? Whether they were identical twins, or fraternal twins (not identical), in most cases they grew up together in the same family and in similar environments. Their mother may have dressed them in matching clothes. Their diets were probably identical, and they would have encountered the same problems or experiences in their homes.

Although two people may look alike, they are not identical in any way. They may have the same environments and experiences; and yet they are different people, with different personalities and views. This is because each of us is unique. God made every one of us different. We are all special.

It is amazing to me that there are an infinite number of fingerprints. Ever since sometime in the 1800s, we have known that every person’s fingerprints are unique. Fingerprinting techniques have been used to identify missing persons and criminals. So, we already know that fingers are unique. Have you ever seen two noses alike? Look around you. Everybody’s nose looks different. I have seen some similar noses, but I have not seen two identical noses.

People who have known my parents always tell me I look like my mother. All my life, I have been told I look like her. What is it about me that looks like my mother? When I look at a picture of her, I cannot identify one feature that is identical to mine. And yet, I look like her. I do not have a nose like hers. My eyes are not like hers. She was not the same height or weight as I, nor was her hair like mine. What do they see that makes them know I am her daughter?

As we look at people, we see physical similarities and differences, such as height, weight, skin colors, or facial features, and immediately we make some kind of determination of who they are. It is kind of automatic for us to categorize people or think we can detect a particular personality based on how a person looks. Sometimes our perceptions are correct. Sometimes not. Sometimes it seems that people dress or act in a way to make others know who they are. The truth is that we cannot know what is inside a person’s heart by merely looking at the physical features.

Each one of us has a particular role in this life. For as many billions of people who have walked on this earth, there are also that many different identities. We are all unique. No two people are alike. Each of us has desires to be and do something in life unlike anyone else. If you wanted to join a group of people who are just like you, then you would indeed be able to find that group. The problem is that there would be only one person in that group. You. How fun would that be?

We need others in our lives. It is through interactions with others that we appreciate life. We learn from others, and when we live to be a help to others, it enriches our lives and gives us purpose. God intended for us to love each other and care for each other, and appreciate the blessings that come from having friends and family on this earth.

You are special. Treat others in a way that makes them know they are special, too.

— Love to all,

Nancy

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“Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — how well I know it.”

— Psalms 139:14