"I want to go back to being weird. I like being weird; weird's all I've got. That, and my sweet style!" - Maurice Moss, "The IT Crowd"I was a weird little kid who grew into a weird adult. As a kid, I was obsessed with Alice in Wonderland, Victorian and Medieval England, sci-fi, fantasy, and true crime. I loved watching old movies and wore out my Les Miserables cast recording tape. I played pretend way longer than I should have and spent most of my time with books, rather than other kids. If I ever wanted to be like others, it never stuck; my natural proclivities won out in the end.
My mom had a lot to do with this. She always encouraged my creativity. She indulged my interests and never told me the things I liked were unusual. As a result, I thought all kids were fascinated with dragons and spaceships and the French revolution.
When I got older, I was lucky enough to find people like me. I made it through high school thanks to a tight group of friends who were all a little left of center and I married a weirdo goofball (who also happens to be one of the sweetest guys on earth).
The oddballs, freaks, and weirdos are always more interesting than the people who conform. The people who truly love you will always accept you for you are, not try to change you to who they want you to be. They will introduce you to awesome things you never knew you loved (sushi, the adorableness of cats, etc.) and they will support every harebrained scheme you come up with.
We're often rewarded for conforming to expectations with praise, admirers, and success, but if you aren't being true to yourself, that can all ring a little hollow. Like what you like, do what you want to do, and be you are - the rest will fall into place naturally.
Please watch this beautifully moving scene from Phoebe in Wonderland.
Sounds like you were an awesome, cool kid. Your mum sounds awesome too. Great post.
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