If you think about it, “weird” is normal.

Everyone, in their own way, is “weird” or awkward--we just don’t normally recognize it, because we often hide it. There are certain people I run into every now and then who are very unique. It’s like they act really happy and comfortable. They laugh at their awkward mistakes and pick themselves up to conquer life.

I have always seen these people as just plain real. This makes them easy to approach and easy to talk too. I didn’t realize what made these certain people seem unique until I learned that most of us, including myself at the time, all have those normal things about ourselves that we think are awkward or weird, and therefore we do not say or do them. I learned that we are afraid that others will see our insecurities and dislike us. We are afraid people will see... us.

If you think about it, we often look at what other people do and automatically dislike them. We often look past people and judge too quickly. As a result, many of us often hide the things we think are weird or embarrassing because we are self-conscious or ashamed.

The question I want to bring to you is, why? Why are we afraid to show who we are? We are wonderful people, with something unique in each of us. Those awkward things we are ashamed of is what makes us who we are. It’s what makes you, you, and me, me.

For me, I’ll admit, I am a little ridiculous and silly. I often trip over my own feet and say awkward or embarrassing things, but that is me. It is who I am. It makes me different, and I have learned to not be ashamed. I used to be so afraid of what others would think about me and what I do. What if people saw the awkwardness? Would they still like me? Am I still cool?

To keep myself “cool” I used to put on a mask. I thought I wore it beautifully too. I walked around hiding the person on the inside, keeping myself hidden deep, afraid anyone would know me, and reject me. I did this all up until around last summer. It’s pretty much thanks to my little sister and other “weird” people.

You see, my sister is one of the funniest, silliest human being ever. She trips over her feet daily but laughs, brushes it off and goes on with her day, stooping just for a moment to say “oh well.”

This made her different. It made her unique and open. It made her approachable and easy to talk to, because there is nothing for her to hide. It is all right there, staring you in the face.

I wanted this. I wanted to be freed from feeling trapped deep within myself and wanting others to know me and to love me. So I asked her, “Why are you so comfortable with yourself?” Her answer was interesting, and in a way, she simply said, “You just have to learn to first love the little things about yourself, and who you are. You have to learn to laugh when you embarrass yourself, and realize that everybody trips over their feet every now and then too.”

I took what she said a step further and knew that God made all of us unique and beautiful in our own way. After we recognize this and love this, we can love the little things that make us who we are.

With this new knowledge, I realized many of us are trapped inside and afraid to leave, afraid to be seen. My advice to you is simple, be who you are. Don’t hide the silly things you do that make you, you. Don’t wear a mask and be ashamed of your “flaws.” Showing who you are makes you stand out and be unique. People see it, and they love it. They will love you. God loves you.

So you love you. If you really think about it, “weird” is normal.