Well, still alive so far. Life is good, the garden grows well, all that fantasticness. How about you guys? Still alive out there?
I've been struggling with my usual split-mindedness... happy about life in general, unhappy about many small specific things. This is a shit world to have a poets sentiment it seems, and if I actually cared what the rest of the world thought of me I'd be a miserable wreck. In fact, I recently forced myself to consider what it must feel like to be affected by the opinions of "the general public" as I have been trying to help a very close friend with some personal issues regarding her self esteem. I have not really cared what others think about who I am since some point in grade school when I realized they enjoyed tears over hurtful words and I would ALWAYS be different. I came to terms with being a bit of an oddball a long time ago, embraced my inner weirdo and never looked back, until this situation with my friend, which forced me to try to look at it from her view. She, you see, is trying very hard to improve her self image, but she has a hard time liking herself and does well for a while only to be knocked back to square one every time she strikes out with a guy or someone makes a crude comment. I spent some time trying to imagine feeling like that all the time, how terribly self destructive and painful it must feel all the time. And I came to the conclusion that being able to just be yourself without a care to what others think even through the greatest adversity is a gift. It must be, otherwise wouldn't more of us in the world be able to just let go of our inhibitions and preconceived notions on what life is "supposed to be" and just LIVE? People who know that there are no fucking dress codes in real life and that you can be friends with anyone regardless of whether or not you listen to the same music, believe in the same gods, or hate/love the same foods. I am grateful to be able to look at things the way I do, and I worry more than ever before for my friend and hope that I can help to liberate her from her worries and preconceived notions before it is too late.
So to those of you who are, like myself, gifted with confidence enough to be YOU no matter what.. DO NOT change who you are.. not for marriage, not for a job, not for your bloody parents. Be you to the bittersweet end, be strong. Be a witch standing yet unafraid in a village of burners. I am grateful for my madness, and grateful not to be one of the poor narrow minded fools who walks through life chained by the despair of what is "proper" and "expected".
Be what thou will, so long as it hurts none.
I hope you are well, and unchained -
I've been struggling with my usual split-mindedness... happy about life in general, unhappy about many small specific things. This is a shit world to have a poets sentiment it seems, and if I actually cared what the rest of the world thought of me I'd be a miserable wreck. In fact, I recently forced myself to consider what it must feel like to be affected by the opinions of "the general public" as I have been trying to help a very close friend with some personal issues regarding her self esteem. I have not really cared what others think about who I am since some point in grade school when I realized they enjoyed tears over hurtful words and I would ALWAYS be different. I came to terms with being a bit of an oddball a long time ago, embraced my inner weirdo and never looked back, until this situation with my friend, which forced me to try to look at it from her view. She, you see, is trying very hard to improve her self image, but she has a hard time liking herself and does well for a while only to be knocked back to square one every time she strikes out with a guy or someone makes a crude comment. I spent some time trying to imagine feeling like that all the time, how terribly self destructive and painful it must feel all the time. And I came to the conclusion that being able to just be yourself without a care to what others think even through the greatest adversity is a gift. It must be, otherwise wouldn't more of us in the world be able to just let go of our inhibitions and preconceived notions on what life is "supposed to be" and just LIVE? People who know that there are no fucking dress codes in real life and that you can be friends with anyone regardless of whether or not you listen to the same music, believe in the same gods, or hate/love the same foods. I am grateful to be able to look at things the way I do, and I worry more than ever before for my friend and hope that I can help to liberate her from her worries and preconceived notions before it is too late.
So to those of you who are, like myself, gifted with confidence enough to be YOU no matter what.. DO NOT change who you are.. not for marriage, not for a job, not for your bloody parents. Be you to the bittersweet end, be strong. Be a witch standing yet unafraid in a village of burners. I am grateful for my madness, and grateful not to be one of the poor narrow minded fools who walks through life chained by the despair of what is "proper" and "expected".
Be what thou will, so long as it hurts none.
I hope you are well, and unchained -
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
brightredscream:
We're really similar ♥
pomphrey:
Confidence in one's self comes from knowing you have value and are loved. Ideally people communicated this to us when we were growing up. But some parents are overly critical or distant and that doesn't help. Your friend may have experienced this. Just keep telling her she's a good person and you like her (do a Mr. Rogers...) - that will help a lot.