Sit with your legs crossed, don’t burp in public, pull out that wedgie, be polite, wait patiently, smile and oh, behave like a lady. Isn’t that what this damsel in distress gender is reminded of unceasingly, to be moulded into ‘a lady’ from birth? Thank God I wasn’t born in the era where women practiced their prance with books seesawing on their heads. The weight of that literature would have been hurled at the trainer’s temple.
Unfortunately, all of us cannot be as prim and proper as a Monarch at tea, even if we try. That bearing just doesn’t come naturally to some. But as my mother and many acquaintances would say, a day with me, and with many of you as well I suppose would be less of a quiet walk through botanical gardens and more like a day in Jurassic Park. Because who doesn’t like hours filled with hilarity, questionable decision making, new memories and some intoxicatingly forgotten? Life though, is a bit like Jurassic Park, an open space, yet a restricted sense of being caged. Some tend to abide forcefully but unhappily. Others run from society’s anguish as they sink their deep denticulation into our skin for deviating norms set by an assemblage
of individuals always deemed correct. Where is there room for individuality; and by that I don’t only mean independence, I also mean free thought, originality, and liberalism? Will it ever have a place or is being different profane? I’m not saying start jumping red lights, disobey the law, pee on the streets or be unethical, I am saying don’t be afraid to be you, as you are.
Silence is apparently a virtue, and although we all crave some quiet time, I for one cannot be quiet for long. Our individual existence is unpredictable, so laugh out loud, speak your mind, roar like a dinosaur (I’m assuming they roar), whatever floats your boat. Forget what others think. Live for yourself, do what brings you joy, take that chance, many of us tone down just to avoid the ‘what will others think’. Same drink count as the boys? Must be an alcoholic, she will be on the floor soon. Adding another number in a stranger’s little black book (now more like a black phone)? Must be desperate. Always the last one to leave a party? Must be lonely.
We should not generalize, judge and pinpoint on how others should live their lives because no human is perfect, even if we all try to be, neither you nor me.
What people fail to understand is there could be other reasons for actions one takes or the results that occur. Physical differences for instance with women on average; the smaller species compared to men, means having less fluid in their bodies to distribute alcohol around, thus leading to quicker intoxication, falls and blackouts thereafter. Life is short. We are here today; we may be gone tomorrow. That’s why it’s always important to be comfortable in your own skin. There is no need to wear a mask or dawn a new persona each morning. We will not always be accepted by everyone, be it during school years or in adulthood. That’s fine, we just need to learn to accept and embrace it. If everyone started to clone themselves based on a benchmark set, this world would be mundane. You should not only be remembered if you did something great, created something awesome or made bags of money, you should be remembered for who you are, how you made others feel, what difference you made to this world and how you stood out even without being on the cover of a magazine.
