By now we have all seen movies that had scenes where the characters were in high school, and they were stranded in the middle of the courtyard at lunch looking around at the cliques. The stereotypical jocks, the kids that wore strictly black, the kids that could get 4.0 GPA's in their sleep, and the all around average kids.
I have always wondered why those stereotypes carried through to real life, it's in a movie for a reason isn't it? Why can't people dress how they want to dress without unnecessary whispering that will occur the second they turn their backs. Why can't people excel at school and not get labeled for "trying to hard"? Why can't people be exactly the way they are? These are the questions I'm striving to answer everyday, and I hope whoever is reading this begins to question these same things.
I understand that labeling things can sometimes be necessary, but why people? People shouldn't be categorized. People should be free to express themselves how they see fit. Everyone only has this lifetime to live exactly how they want to live. Seriously, think about that. Today could very well be your last day living, do you want to live this particular day dressed to fit in with the "popular" crowd? Do you want to mask your identity in fear that the people you surround yourself with still won't love you?
Be who you are. Whoever that might be. I'm sure you are a beautiful person, and I wish with every ounce in my being that you live today being your true, authentic self.
I am personally looking forward to the day where people can just be themselves, fearlessly. I am actually begging anyone that comes across this article to think about how you treat someone that expresses themselves differently than you do. Be a better person. Honestly, go all out to embrace that person. You will make them feel so loved, and in turn you will walk away making a difference in this world.
Even though it is a small one, it's still a difference. Let's strive to make tomorrow a more welcoming world for people. I know that we can do it, we just need to break out of these shackles built of horrifying habits of labeling. I am confident in you that you can do it. I have so much faith in that, let this set the new standard and go make a difference today.
