Thursday, October 27, 2011

Different = Normal!

So, I figured it was time for something more serious now. Various circumstances and other stuff that can only be described as crap has been knocking on my door lately, perfectly ready to break it down entirely. What might this crap be? To keep it short, the weather (pathetic excuse, but whatever), unemployment, hectic family life, impatience to make some dreams into reality, and a continuing war with OCD and selective mutism. Yeah, it pretty much sucks at my house right now. In trying to keep busy to take my mind off things, I may have fixated slightly a s*** load on my writing, thus reinforcing the idea that I am just another lazy, indolent dreamer with no drive to actually accomplish anything in this mess called "real life." I've driven my mother crazy with my Phantom of the Opera "obsession" and seriously pushed my dad's buttons with my scribbling "compulsions." Public opinion says I need to rewire the short circuit that MUST exist in my head and figure out how to be LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE.

And you know what I say to that? (Brief language coming...)

HORSESHIT! Wow, it feels good to say that!

It's our irregularities that make us who we are, don't you think? Thank God we're all different in some form or fashion! Why in the hell would anyone want to be exactly like everyone else? It takes all colors to make a rainbow, you know!

Clichés aside, the whole point here is that we spend way too much time running from things that are strange or unusual, and those of us who are decidedly strange or unusual (or those who at least can't hide their strangeness) are forced to hide who we really are to protect ourselves from those who can't accept what they can't understand. Do you smell an analogy here? I'm sure you can...

We're all weird. Some of us just conceal it better than others. But seriously people, we're all alike in that we need acceptance, understanding, and love. We never ask to be born the way we are, but we're all punished for it regardless, by others and ourselves. Think about the last time you couldn't help but do what you did because that's just what you had to do to be true to yourself. Were you glorified, or vilified? How did it feel? Now think about the last time someone you know did what they did because that's what they had to do to be true to themselves. What did you do? Did you glorify or vilify them?

Don't take this as preaching (though I have no clue how many people are actually reading this), but we really need to open our minds to all other types. Take me, for instance. I have obsessive compulsive disorder. I can't leave light switches pointing up when they're turned off, I count when I get nervous, I can't stand to have people touching my belongings, and when I start scrubbing the counters I can't stop, convinced they're still not clean enough. Does that mean I'm somehow wrong in my differences? No, it just means I'm different. There are millions of people like me in the world, and none of us asked to get landed with this disorder. That being said, I don't need anyone's pity, and I really don't need anyone's scorn. I have a mind, a heart, and a soul like anyone else, and in that I'm connected to everyone else. See? We're already finding some common ground!

What about you? How are you different? Do you wear glasses? Are you short? Tall? Skinny? Overweight? Slower than others? Too smart for some people? Do you hear voices? Do you talk to yourself? Do you do things other people say you shouldn't because they don't think it's "cool" or "normal?" Have you ever pretended to be like the people around you because they couldn't accept who you were? Do you prefer to avoid other people entirely rather than be true to yourself and deal with all the consequences of it?

You're in good company. In my book, there's no such thing as "normal." It's just synonymous with "different." We're all unique, and we're all perfect in our imperfections. We can now finally say that different is indeed the norm.

Maybe it's just that we're afraid of how we're different. Maybe it just takes more courage than we like to admit to say "Hey, this is me, take it or sod off." And maybe those who have yet to find that courage really just envy those of us who already have, hence the cruelty. Am I babbling? Maybe so, but hey, that's who I am. It's just something to think about.

Your pal,
Angels

2 comments:

  1. Glad to know I'm not the only one with parents who think my "scribbles" are a sign of a disorder! Hmmm... weirdness... my parents won't let me call myself that but I am and I dont't care! everyone is weird! I'm just a bit more honest. XD
    jokes aside I think your making a very good point. I sing friggin' EVERYWHERE, like in the bathroom and at the grocery store, everywhere. I don't feel right if I don't. And I am smarter than a lot of people, I know that. I'm a sophmore in high school and some of my favorite conversations are with my teachers. But I can also be a complete idiot. The other day I forgot my brother is in the third grade.
    The only thing that defines weird is that it isn't normal and the only thing that defines normal is that it isn't weird.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, thank goodness someone hears what I'm saying! I've got more of a "don't judge me and I won't judge you" mentality, and I can't stand it when something is labelled "wrong" or "stupid" just because it's against the grain. But here's to scribblers, singers, and smart idiots! We rock, don't we? :)

    ReplyDelete

Come on, talk to me! Don't be shy!