You Are You

You've heard it:

Don't worry about what others think.

Right? You've heard it. I started hearing it pretty early. Maybe in elementary, but definitely by junior high. In what crazy world do we think junior high girls don't worry about what others think? Well, not in this world.

I may have tried to listen. I'm sure I didn't succeed well - not in junior high, high school, college, law school, my first few jobs, my years as a stay-at-home mom . . . I worried about what others thought. It's funny how when we're forced into a situation where everyone talks, everyone stares, everyone knows, the object of the conversations sometimes becomes, well, less concerned.

There was a chunk of time in my life, not all that long ago, where a lot of people were really interested in me. Maybe not so much in me, but in the details of my personal life. I was initially pretty upset by this fact. But not for very long. Really, what could I do about it? Hide? Run away? Keep my head down everywhere I went? I guess I could have. I didn't.

I finally made the decision to not worry about what others think. People will always think what they want to. If they want to think the worst about you, they'll find a way. If they want to think the best, they'll find a way for that too. Let me tell you, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm trying to find a way to convince the girls before they're in their mid-30s that this is really the way to live.

If you figure that one out before me, let me know . . .

So, munchkins. Just be you. Don't worry about the rest. :)

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."
~Dr. Seuss