one of my very thoughtful gifts was a stack of questions we would either ask family or friends around the table; wondering now what the difference is at times.. but one question popped up twice, though i dared not sway the conversation ~ how would you answer the following:
How are you Different from everyone else?
i have to admit i had a range of responses to this one. it is often times the feeling of being different that can lead to isolation and loneliness, but then the idea of being the same doesn't seem altogether joyful either.
instead - i followed the trail of my thoughts ~ the uniqueness of me. how am i unique? we all contain parts and pieces of another but how we choose to order our personal descriptions, the colors of our identity ~ conceivably is the unique, the something i would add.
there is a concept of figure and ground. figure being what easily comes to mind ~ the priority of our conscious, and ground being what is hidden and tucked away in the unconscious. i must say ~ my ground must be fairly full . . . because when i thought about how i would answer this question i wasn't sure how to describe myself in a way that would be different from others around the table.
i thought though the idea of saying something positive about myself, but how exactly would i say something positive without somehow conveying negative about the other. i could say i am "positive" but then what would that be saying about the rest of the table??? see what i am getting at here.
what is something about me that is different - yet - maybe, neutral? because i wouldn't want to say something negative about myself . . . like - for instance, at times i feel paralyzed when forgetting to button up, leaving myself & my sensitivities open to the cold air of susceptibility (smile).. no way!! that defeats the purpose of a vulnerability shield!! hee!
so . . . perhaps i might just say ~ i am different from most everyone else in that i have choosen to pull this quality from my ground . . . i like the smell of cow poop!
i wish you could hear my giggle ~ but ~ clearly, this is my best option at least for right now. it is a way of describing something unique to me that likely no one else wants.
anyway!! would love to hear all the bizaare little ~ different ~ things about you :)
have a wonderful Valentine's & Love what is different & unique about you ♥
2 comments:
Jenni, I read this post on Monday and that question has had me doing a lot of thinking. I don't know that I've come to an significant realizations to share, but it made for a great discussion for Joe and I on our V-Day date. Let me tell you, we need conversations starters that don't involve kids or work!
I totally get the effect of feeling like if I say something that makes me unique I'm saying others aren't as good as me kinda thing. That aside it was such a good question to really think about.
I talked to my mom and sister about it too, my sister likes the smell of cow poop as well, so you both are amazing unique! :)
Thanks for sharing!
what a great reflection response :) thanks so much . . . i'm glad you got a chance to chew on that question too. i thought it was pretty profound. amazing how just a few words can stir the mind & heart :)
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