Always A Stranger
Today's Daily Haiku discusses the process of trying to fit in we all go through during our childhood, and poses a question about what's the desirable outcome: to fit in, or to end up being yourself? Are both things compatible?
The Daily Haiku for Feb 14. Always a stranger.
Always a stranger,
between books and computers.
I'll never fit in.
One week ago, I mentioned in the Daily Haiku that my family was always travelling during my childhood. That made it harder for me to make friends.
But it would be unfair to blame our frequent travels alone. I was also a nerd, so didn't fit into the stereotype of the Spanish child whose only interest is football.
My hobbies were reading, especially J.R.R Tolkien -before he became fashionable-, Asimov, King, etc, playing role games, chess, computers -of course- and some other geeky stuff. I always sucked at sports. Needless to say, I was not the most popular kid at school (plus, I was the teacher's son, so go figure!).
The thing is, I didn't care. Well, when I was little, I wished I had more friends, but I was happy in my inner world. Over time, I embraced that difference and ended up being proud of it. Going through this process during my childhood, along with having to accept my own sexuality in my teens, gave me resilience.
Most of us go through this process one way or another. We always try to fit in, especially when we are young. But fitting in sometimes means giving up who you are. Be proud of who you are, fit in if you must, but don't stop being you.
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