Wrong Kind of Different
January 29, 2014
Everyone is different, no one is the same, working with that premise, we are all the same, in the fact that we are all different. In order for this statement to work, we need to accept it, all of us, but that will never happen. Adults have trouble accepting differences in people, children even more. There seems to be a fine line between unique and different. Unique – being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. Different – not the same as another or each other; unlike in nature, form, or quality. Unique is celebrated, different not always. Is there a wrong kind of different? Kids know it, they sense it, they can smell the wrong kind of different. Sometimes they ignore it, sometimes they chase it, sometimes they try to wreck it, mock it, pick at it. Yet unique is, well, different, it is encouraged and treasured. “Johnny is different”, “Johnny is unique”… me, I can see the space between them, kids can too. Strive to be unique, be cautious about being different, never conform but try to belong.
tr/trp
