A Little Space, Please!

I saw this quote on Alan Brown’s The ADD Crusher Facebook Page, and it struck me as something I care about, so here are my thoughts. Be sure to check out Alan Brown’s work by clicking the image if you are interested in ADD Brain Hacks.

This is a great quote.

Thankfully I spend little time thinking about what others think of me. The time I do, I am miserable generally. I want to ask for some space, please!

Life is much easier if you do not pretend to be other than yourself. Of course, easier said than done.

We all have places and people around that cause us not to be ourselves and put on a mask. We might even feel shame about who we are; is there anything sadder than that? I don’t think so.

Take something you keep hidden about yourself and let it go free. Me, I wouldn’t say I like socks and wearing shoes. Space, please!

I do everything I can not to have them on. When I was in Junior High (Middle school for you younguns), maybe earlier, I cut the ends of my socks off so my toes could be free in my shoes. By doing so, I avoided the shame of not wearing tube socks. (Now wait a minute, if you wore tube socks, maybe you should have been ashamed) Just kidding.

Wear the clothes you like, have your hair precisely how you want it, or don’t wear socks! Whatever it is, try and stretch, push your limits or those you feel have been put on you, and free yourself.

We all know people who, because of how they loved, kept silent and hid from letting it out that they felt differently than some. That is truly sad. We need to work to accept others, as long as they don’t harm one another, for all the gifts and quirks they have.

They say, “Variety is the spice of life,” I think it is. When you see someone start to wear pink hair, say how beautiful or great it looks. If someone wears shorts in a place of worship, thank them for being there.

We don’t have to be precisely alike, Heck, Paint your house orange in the sea of tan and bland homes around you. (Legal disclaimer in a high-speed DJ voice: The previous sentiment is in no way an endorsement to break your HOA covenants, seek legal advice if you decide to break the homeowner mold)

We should especially make sure we allow kids to explore without and feel that they are in a safe space to learn how they express themselves in the world. That means other than teaching them how to be good people; we don’t force them to fit some stereotype or decision about who they are they will regret later.

That means when your child comes home and says they want to be a musician, we don’t say things like, you will never make any money doing that. Let’s empower people to take chances. So what you raised them, they are individuals as we all are. Let them know they are loved and safe and know how to think critically; that will be a gift they can rely on.

Let’s make room for all of our differences. Surely the world would be a better and more interesting place.