In today’s society, we are quick to put labels on other people. And all too frequently, we fail to think of other people as real human beings, instead just putting them into boxes. One such box that you could put me into right now is “trapped, for the foreseeable future, at the bottom of a deep, deep well." However, I want to make it very clear that this aspect of myself does not define me. Yes, I am stuck at the bottom of a well right now, but in reality, I am so much more than that.

When someone hears you’re trapped at the bottom of a well, they immediately assume a hundred different things about you. Things like assuming what kind of person I am, or assuming what kind of clothing I like, or assuming that I literally need the help of several adults very soon in order to not die. Some of those things are true but some of them are false. And that’s dangerous.

One might ask what I’m projecting about myself by being so defensive about this. Am I in denial about being trapped at the bottom of a well? Some people would probably say that. But those people will just never understand. The sooner society can finally come to terms with the fact that some people who are trapped at the bottom of a well don’t want their entire lives to be about that, the sooner we can make real progress in this country.

Actually though if you’re somehow reading this, please send help. Without it my demise is certain.