We the snobs

My eyebrows have become thinner in the past two years. This means I have to recreate them every day. Oh joy. They are one of those things I miss from my youth. Now, I have to navigate through the many options the beauty industry has to offer. And so, I recently made a trip to the makeup department of a large store. I found a product that I thought would do the trick and, there I was, squinting, trying to read the 6-point font on the packaging. An employee approached me and asked if I needed help. Yes, please. I asked him what was his professional experience with the product. What do you mean? He said lifting one eyebrow while shifting his body weight, crossing his arms and pursing his lips. I wanted to know about its quality and if other customers were happy with it or if any had returned the product for a refund. Well, that's because they clearly don't know how to use it. They are amateurs. He sassed. I stood there for a moment. We were talking brow powder, right? What was this chip on his shoulders about?

We become so stuck-up about what we do, about our field of expertise – law, science, literature, medicine, auto-mechanics, finance, public relations, creative arts, language arts, insurance, nutrition, politics, cosmetology, occupational therapy, fitness, research, architecture, yoga, meditation and spirituality, among others. We get wound up when others don't understand something we consider basic or obvious. Few of us stop to appreciate what a beautiful thing it is to share our knowledge with honor and love. We fail to remember that knowing what we know is about putting it into practice and sharing it. It is not about belittling, chastising, shaming, humiliating or admonishing another for not knowing what we know. We become snobs.

Knowing what we know is part of our purpose and when we act towards others with condescension, we disconnect from our purpose. When we look down on others we limit our growth and the fulfillment of our path and all of the dimensions of our Self. When we act with superiority for what we know, we separate ourselves from others.

What if today we understood when another is not aware of something we are, does not know something we do. We do not need more arrogance and know-it-alls. If the opportunity presents itself, let us share what we know with generosity of spirit. If there is no such opportunity or reception, then let us remember to extend kindness, patience and non-judgment.

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