It Gets Better Than Better
I was a weird kid. A lot of people say they’re weird kids, and a lot of kids are weird — as they should be! But I really was a weird kid. I was extremely shy, and very, very, very quiet. Quiet to the point where people would talk to me and I couldn’t bring myself to respond, quiet. To the point where a lot of people thought something was wrong with me.
This included my family, who were thoughtful enough about my predicament in life to get me some professional help early on — help that continued for a long, long time. I do believe that this helped with certain things, but it’s hard to know for sure. Because I was still picked on quite a bit and bullied from time to time growing up.
Obviously, that was not fun.
But I found friends over time who seemed to look past my peculiarities. Or, at the very least, they tolerated them — something I will always be grateful for. The problems would usually arise when they weren’t around. I’ve always preferred to have a small group of trusted friends and have a hard time letting other people in, or honestly even talking to other folks — even to this day!
I have gotten better at “faking it” as time as gone on. Sometimes I even surprise myself with how good I can be at this these days. But, if I’m being honest, it’s not really me being myself as much as it’s that I’ve gotten better at playing a part I’ve witnessed time and time again over my 36 years.
Anyway, I often think about this. How different I felt as a kid. How isolated I felt at times — especially in times of others making fun of me. As such, I’m particularly moved when I see videos like this one of Keaton Jones in Tennessee. I feel like I know exactly how this kid feels, because I was once him. I wouldn’t get angry when I would get picked on, I would get sad and confused because I didn’t understand why people would do such things.
It has become a cliche to say that things will get better, which is too bad, because they undoubtedly will — and it’s important to know that, as Keaton seems to, in order to hang in there.¹ But I think it actually goes a step further.
What I wish I could convey to kids in such situations is that the things that make you “weird” and get you picked on at a young age, are the things that are going to make you unique and interesting when you’re older. They’re the things that will separate you from the pack and make you stand out. And they’re very likely the things that will help you succeed in life.
While it’s impossible to see now, that which others deem to be a weakness in you will become your very strength as you age. I know it, because I’ve lived it.
¹ By the way, how amazing is it that people like Delanie Walker (Tennessee Titans) and Chris Evans (Captain America) are reaching out to this kid on Twitter? Be cynical all you want, but this is unquestionably awesome.
