If You’re Going to be Different, You Have to be Strong - Redux

 During 2015-2017 I was writing articles for tiny sites on different subjects as they came up. None of those sites exist anymore, which sort of blows, but my articles still exist in my personal files so there’s that at least. 

One of the articles I was most proud of was titled “If You’re Going to be Different, You Have to be Strong” and if you can’t guess, it was about wanting to be your authentic self when the world doesn’t agree with it. Damn, that hits harder today with us living in the bad timeline… o.O

But, I actually want to discuss the flip side of what I focused on the first time around… 

My son is going to an incredible high school, filled with intelligent students, small classes and teachers who regularly go above and beyond. I started going to the Parent Organization Meetings bc I was invited, and one of the first conversations I witnessed was the ladies discussing how to handle some of the used uniforms. The conversation was them questioning how much they should care about the needy students at the school, then stopping and genuinely questioning if there was a needy population at the school. Not mean or malicious, legitimately curious if it was a real concern for them to focus on.

I was gobsmacked to say the least. But I also was in my stuffy work clothes so I blended in I guess. I guess I also blended in enough that they have invited me to be on their board for the remainder of my son’s education there. 

Which means, in order for him to benefit from the nepotism the position will grant him, I have to.. hide? Parts of me. At his last snooty school I didn’t bother and just forced them to deal with my non-conformity bc I knew I was doing things they could not. I still ended up being ostracized and the last year of his time there was harder for him than it should’ve been. 

So. This is high school. The stakes are higher, the prestige is light years more impressive and these years matter. I can soften my language, dress in my stupid work clothes for every thing I do with/for the school and pretend like the life my son lives half the week with his dad is his always. 

I also can use my new position to fight for the invisible needy community bc something tells me there’s a whole group of them (us?) hiding within the walls of the school.

So, I guess, what I'm saying is that it takes a different sort of strength to know when to double down and be loudly your most authentic version and when you blend in to fight for the things that matter from the inside. 

Also. Just want to say again, I cannot believe that we are living in the worst time line possible. Ugh.