A friend's child ("M") has been having a difficult
time at school. I don't know if my note helped, but it made me feel better:
— — — — — — — —
Dear M.,
— — — — — — — —
Dear M.,
Do you want to know something? My whole life, I’ve never,
ever felt like I “fit in.” Even in some of my earliest memories, it seemed like
I was out of step with everybody else.
It’s hard to explain. The things I cared about, other people
thought were lame. The things other people cared about didn’t make sense to me.
And it wasn’t just my imagination! I really did look at the world differently.
For example, in movie theaters, I was the only one to laugh at parts where
everyone else was totally quiet.
At first, I wondered if everyone else felt the same way. But
since not everyone else got called “weird,” I decided that wasn’t it. And I
decided that if someone called me “weird,” it wasn’t so bad. It wasn’t the same
as saying I was a bad or awful person. It even seemed funny when people would
say “weird” like it was an insult. I mean, try saying “ordinary” to someone in
a mean tone! It doesn’t work.
Anyway, now that I’m older, I can spot the people who are
different. Some of them are super-creative, some are funny, and others just
have a slightly off-kilter viewpoint. But no matter who they are, I appreciate
“different people.” Not only are they super interesting, but they sometimes
have had a hard time growing up.
That means the different people can use someone who sees
them. The different people can use someone who appreciates them.
And M., I appreciate YOU. You’re amazing!
Your “different” friend,
Bart
1 comment:
Going off
To think about belonging?
Don’t be long!
— a poem I wrote yesterday
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