Embrace your Non-Conformity

When we were in high school, both my brother and I purchased almost all of our clothes at the thrift shop.  We liked finding funky old treasures that we wouldn’t catch any of our other classmates wearing.  My father thought this was fabulous, both because he was proud that we were non-conformists, and because we saved him a lot of cash by not demanding  Guess or Z. Cavaricci apparel.  If you’re in your thirties, you recognize those brand names.  If you’re any younger, go ahead and substitute Aeropostale or Abercrombie, and you’ll know what I mean. 

My Sister: The Magical Unicorn!

My sister, on the other hand, had to be taken to the mall.  She wanted to fit in with her peers and be “popular,” something Josh and I had never really given a shit about.  Because she actually wanted to fit in with the majority of society, she ended up being the black sheep of our family.  There’s definitely some irony to be identified in this situation.

Coming up in high school, she said she always hated when teachers would compare her to her two older siblings, being as she wasn’t as academic as us either.  One day, she phoned me to sob, “Mr. Robinson passed out your essay as an example in class today.  What the hell? You graduated over five years ago! And worse, it was all about your family! I was so embarrassed!” 

As an adult, my sister has been far truer to herself, and I am very proud of her for this.  She can be just as crazy as the rest of us, although she might try to tell you otherwise.  Earlier this week, I asked if she had taken the time to read my blog yet.  She replied, “No. I’m scared to read it.”  I didn’t feel her fear was justified, so I was disappointed by the lack of support from my siblings.  Therefore, I decided to give her a reason to be afraid by writing about her. 

Kelly – you better be reading this blog now!   If I ask you about it later and find out you didn’t make the time for me, expect some secrets to be spilled.  In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy this photo of my beautiful sister.  Don’t tell me you can’t be crazy, little sister! Embrace your non-conformity.  We should all wear whatever makes us feel good – whether that’s a pair of classic blue jeans, a paisley print shirt from a consignment shop, or a plastic unicorn head.  Happy looks good on everyone!