At the fireworks the other night, J & V, two little girls who live on our street showed up donned all in black, like ninjas. They’d taped glo-sticks all over themselves and were walking around in the dark. They set up camp near us, and generously shared sparklers and glo-sticks with Riley and Seth.
If you know these two, it would not surprise you they might arrive at 4th of July festivities dressed as ninjas with glo-sticks taped all over themselves. J, the oldest of the two (who will be entering 4th grade next year) has been known to wear her hair in a mohawk and her creative fashion choices are definitely all her own. Happier, friendlier kids you won’t meet. I like them.
Anyway….as J was fussing with a sparkler, a boy about her own age walked by and said in her face….”Hi weird person.”
Without missing a beat she said back, all friendly, “Hi other weird person.” Totally owned it. Totally rocked out the wierd.
Riley leaned over to me as we sat on our blanket, “Mom. Did you hear that?”
I did, but she replayed the conversation for me anyway.
He said, “‘Hi weird person,”
and then she said,
“Hi other weird person.”
I nodded.
Riley looked at me a long moment, and then she smiled. I smiled back at her.
Then she added, kind of dreamily,
“J & V are so inspiring.”
Sitting there watching the fireworks with my family, my heart felt happy and hopeful. If Riley can be moved watching someone else embrace their “weirdness,” perhaps she is getting closer to embracing her own.
I just got chills. Beautiful.
I like that! I like girls like that.
😉
I’m still trying to get a handle on my weirdness. Sometimes it frustrates me, and other times I decide I’d rather be who I am than me like everyone else and not be weird. If I’m weird because I don’t smoke, drink, and swear, then I’d rather be myself and keep the weird.
Love those girls! and love their mum for letting them have a mohawk!! Free expression and confident with it – what more could you ask for? 😀
Weird is wonderful. It’s interesting and unusual and willing to take risks. You couldn’t ask for more for Riley, Seth or yourself.
This post starts my day with a BIG smile.
Some days it is easier than others for me to embrace my own. I think I would like J & V’s parents, too!
Love those girls – what great role models and inspiration for us all.
Oh, man this spoke to me! I love Lola’s weirdness and embrace it as part of her, but as we get closer to identifying a “diagnosis” for her, it breaks my heart to think she might see herself only as this diagnosis and any meds she has to be on might dampen her “weirdness” which is just pure Lola.
Tell Riley I think she rocks!