Personalities and fonts

I find the whole concept of fonts interesting. Fonts are a lot like people. They have their different moods, and even with their basic personality they can be emblazoned with bold passion, or even a tad emotional in their italics. Some fonts are fun and not too serious. Some are playful and childlike. Some fonts are straight and narrow, never veering too much to the left or the right. Some are expressive and flow on a page. Other fonts are square and blocky and well, you know, solid.

I was at a conference over the last couple days and found myself people watching. On the exterior, some of the people were beautiful, graceful, and just seemed to whisper “look at me.” It made me wonder if they ever had any problems. They just seemed to move with elegance (like Monotype Corsiva). Some people were tall and thin, perhaps common and conservative in their dress, the kind who could be your cousin or quiet neighbor who drives a mid-priced sedan (think Arial). I noticed folks who seemed to smile and have any easy way about them that just made you want to “hang out” (a.k.a. Comic Sans). There were the few who added a little comic relief because they were anything but common (much like Webdings) that make you wonder “what, err, who was that?!” It was very easy to notice the few who were bold and “in your face.” There was no ignoring them and it did not take long to realize that there was not room for many perspectives other than their own in the room (ever seen Indy?).

I don’t know about you, but depending on the day, on my mood, on the weather or any number of contributing factors, I tend to identify with any number of different fonts. Most days I am probably much like Verdana…comfortable and predictable. There are some days that I just feel a touch more special but not necessarily out of the ordinary, like Georgia. Rarely, but every once in a while, much like Hanger I’m sure people look at me and wonder “what got into her today?!” while a little more frequently but not consistently I feel like things are just flowing smoothly and I am in my groove, like Lucinda Handwriting. Over the years I have come to embrace some of these differences.

After I got passed my initial impressions of “I would have nothing in common with that individual” or wondering “Does she feel as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside?” I enjoyed embracing the individual differences of my fellow attendees. As a lover of fonts, I sunk in my daydreams like a comfortable couch, as I thought about how much fun God must have had when he first created all the different animals, but even moreso as he created man/woman with all our different personalities, styles, and traits. Just like all the different fonts which are all created for expression and communication, God created each one of us for fellowship, companionship, and communication with Him! Not one of us is more valuable or special in His eyes, but enjoyable in our uniqueness!