Unfinished, Imperfect Works…

I’ve always admired Dustin Hoffman, with every interview I see I think more highly of him as a person. He’s an actor who has the courage to use the voice given to him as a celebrity to speak out on issues that concern him, a man who isn’t afraid to point out his own flaws and foibles. A man who isn’t afraid to show that he’s as human as the rest of us.

I’m including a video clip that I found a few days ago. It’s an interview from last year speaking about his preparation for his role in the movie “Tootsie”.

If you haven’t yet seen this clip (below), I’d encourage you to do so. Although he’s speaking to the issue of how women are measured on their perceived level of outer beauty, it’s a discussion that could easily be about biases in regards to race, sexuality and disability.

It’s days since I first watched it, and I’m finding it difficult to let this one out of my head. Wondering what wonderful souls I might have missed out on getting to know in my lifetime because I made snap judgements for whatever reason.

I’ve found myself many a time of being in the position of being deemed lacking by someone else, who hasn’t?  I could give you numerous examples, but you probably have many of your own to draw upon. Not beautiful/handsome enough, not smart enough, not clever enough, not the “right” colour, not of the” right” faith, not of the “right” sexual orientation, not of the “right” level of income or education. The list goes on.

My physical disabilities proved (in the outside world) to be yet another reason to be overlooked and dismissed. I don’t miss that at all. To many strangers,  I was deemed unworthy of being acknowledged or being looked in the eye.

I generally would think to myself that if I had been dismissed so easily by a stranger for not being “enough” of whatever, then that person wasn’t worth knowing.

And then there are moments like when I watched this video and I am reminded that everyone has room to grow their appreciation of others (whether they care to take that opportunity to expand their hearts is another matter). I appreciate that Dustin Hoffman was humble enough to admit that he could have done better, and intended to do so going forward after his experience. Isn’t that called growing up? I’m grateful to have friends who have the wisdom to know that none of us ever truly finish that process. The learning about ourselves and the world beyond never ends.