an original

My friend, Kate, shared these thoughts on her blog, and it got me thinking. I just want to live in a way that is in harmony with my beliefs, my integrity, and my unique personality. I just want to be me. I STILL don't own a pair of skinny jeans because I don't think they look good on me, plus everyone else seems to be wearing them. And I'm not going to do something that makes me uncomfortable in order to please the masses.

I've always felt different whether it was my red hair and freckles, my honest and open approach that intimidates some, the fact that I actually liked school and connected with my teachers, or my happy and positive manner. There were girls in middle school who hated me because they told me I was too fake and happy. Sorry, ladies, I've always been that way. It's just how I am. No pretending here. Are all teenagers supposed to be angry and depressed or something? Give me a break!

Although I have felt different, when I read blogs, I see a world of similarities whether it's a young mom struggling to figure out her 4 year-old, a friend who is homesick and misses her family so much she could cry, or someone who has just lost a loved one, physically or spiritually. I have experienced ALL those things...like many of you. And then all at once, I feel like I'm not alone because there are others like me who understand. More than anything, I blog so I can find those similarities and make connections, while still appreciating the unique qualities each of my friends and family possess.