For Girls (and Boys) Who Don’t Fit In (#31writenow, #nablopomo)
by P. Braithwaite
I am ten years old. I am wiping the sleep away from my face and pressing the buttons on my yellow shirt into their respective holes.
I am preparing for another year at school.
I have new sneakers that light up. My book bag is in fashion, but I am brown, lanky, and my hair is unruly. My mother refuses to perm it. I hate showers. I love McDonalds cheeseburgers, and I am unusually masculine for my size. Every moment I am alone finds me perched atop a tree branch with a book pressed against my face. I am the only child in my class with braces and my eyes appear far more closed than they should.
I am awkward. I think I’m ugly. I don’t want to go back.
I’m not exactly an outcast, but that is only because I’m good at sports and capable of beating up boys in my class. Also my older brother is really cool. I have parties that students attend, but these people are not my friends; they are classmates. They are the sixth grade equivalent to colleagues and coworkers.
I do not belong.
I do not fit in.
I do not want to go back.
If I could tiptoe into that young girl’s room and whisper in her ear, this is what I’d say:
Girls (and boys) who do not fit into this world are actually meant to change it.
All of the ways that you feel different are actually the ways in which you shine.
Also, in 2012 natural hair will be…a thing.
What would you tell your ten year old self?
Me to 10 y/o Dara: Please, please tie your shoes before running. Concrete is unkind to front teeth.
To my 10-year-old self: We all make silly mistakes. Do not let your embarrassment about yesterday and years past, paralyze you. Focus on what you need to do. Mind your own. Stand up for yourself. Embrace your weirdness. Accept compliments gracefully. You don’t know it all, so don’t start to act like you do. Always be a good sport and grateful even if it seems like you don’t win anything.
Thanks for posting!
I would tell my ten year old self that I have so much more to learn and live through. Keep being your own person. It may continue to bother you but it will ultimately bless you and others. God will continue to keep you.
I’d tell 10 year old Lashuntrice to go read inside the house. How could I withstand the heat back then?
To my 10 y/o self: Be kind to yourself and others. Never listen to other’s opinion of you…it doesn’t matter. Your mom is crazy but she loves you and is right. Let your accomplishments match your aptitude. Most important- think your “great ideas” over.
To my ten y/o self: Do not let fear keep you on the sidelines. You are talented and shouldn’t hide it.