Sign Language

I was an adult in the 1970s. Generally that statement does not provide much information except that any person that can add certainly can use that little bit of data to determine my approximate age. Although, the roughly 20 readers of this page pretty much have that little tidbit down so even my age is no secret. I make the statement because most of us that were adults or teenagers in the 70s will recall that in those days a popular question was “What’s Your Sign?” The question related to one’s birth date and their astrological sign. Back then we believed that your sign told us much about your personality, your traits, and even predicted your most suitable mate. The question was also a popular ice breaker or way of initiating a conversation with a member of the opposite sex.

Although I have not heard the question lately I have noticed that we have not gotten away from the whole sign thing. Except now, we don’t have to ask the question for now everyone wears their sign or signs boldly for the entire world to see. The signs are everywhere. Take for example the signs on T-shirts that you will see everywhere this summer if you have not already seen them. These T-shirts say things like “Jesus is my Home Boy or Mary is my Home Girl” of course these signs suggest the religious persuasion of the wearer. Over the past week we could not turn on the television without seeing the signs of the Catholic Cardinals in their red vestment which signifies their position in the Catholic Church.

Perhaps your sign is not quite as obvious as those I mention above. Just walking around town I see many more subtle signs. I saw the ubiquitous white cardboard cups with the green logo on it that signifies that the carrier drinks only the most expensive coffee. I pulled into the parking lot at my children’s school this morning and saw the signs of affluence in the cars parked there. I even saw one woman that had a sign in the form of her purse. It had the designer’s initials emblazoned all over. I think that her sign had something to do with a misplaced sense of value, but hey who am I to criticize her sign.

I guess that in some subtle and sometimes not so subtle way we all wear a sign of a sort. Today at school my sons were given lapel pins by the school’s Head Master. The pins have the word “Leader” written on them to signify their joint achievement as Lead Student for their school. As a proud dad I hugged them today and congratulated them for their accomplishment. Now I wonder if their new sign will change their behavior. Will they now act more like leaders since they have their new sign?

We use signs to label people all of the time. We see a man wearing a turban and that sign we assume tells us all about him. A young woman with a pierced belly button or tongue stud is yet another sign and we all knowing wink to one another having read the sign. A young man with his hat to the side and wearing baggy pants is yet another sign. We read that sign and step away guarding our possessions for his sign tells us that danger is near.

Some of us display our signs because we want others to read them. I have an acquaintance whose signs send totally false messages because they suggest that he is something that he is not. There is a sign in a Seven Eleven near my home that says “Persons wearing dark clothes and ski masks are not permitted in this store.” Now let me think about this one for a minute. Dark clothes and ski masks are the clothing of choice of someone planning to rob the store. At least now I have a great sense of comfort that at my local Seven Eleven robbers that stop to read the sign will not enter. That’s a real comfort for me just because of that sign.

When I was in grade school we sometimes played a joke on our classmates by surreptitiously placing a sign on their back that said “kick me.” Of course then people would walk up and kick the poor sign wearer always excusing themselves saying that the sign asked them to do it. Even though we have all matured so much since those days I wonder how many of us are still wearing those “kick me” signs. How often do we by our choices or actions display a sign that leads to abuse or improper treatment? Perhaps your sign is not so extreme but rather is that look on your face that says don’t approach me. Maybe your sign says “I am arrogant”, or “I have no self-confidence”, or “I don’t belong here.” Perhaps you should, like that kid in grade school, take a moment to reach back and check to see what sign you are wearing. If the sign you wear is not conveying the message that best serves you, then change the sign. Start wearing a smile if you want to be approached. Learn that your arrogance is generally unbecoming or at least usually undeserved. Try wearing a sign of confidence. I can assure you that we are all imperfect and you are no more imperfect than the next person. If someone has placed a sign on you telling you otherwise, ask them to please remove the sign and keep it for themselves.

Signs are everywhere you look and often times they provide excellent advice or information. About a year ago an organization paid to put up signs all across the country that were called “signs from God.” One of my favorites said “That “Love Thy Neighbor” thing... I meant that – God.” To me that was a useful sign. While you are out and about today take some time to read the signs you see on the people you encounter. If you know them well enough you might take a moment to tap them on the shoulder and let them know that someone taped a “kick me” sign on their back and that they should consider removing it. You might just make someone’s day, but then of course you could also just have misread their sign.