YOU BE YOU

I think I'll dive in tonight. I mean, you are reading my blog so you know me in some form or another. It could be camp, church, school, or various other reasons. So I have something on my heart that I've been pondering all Summer.

Part of my job this Summer has been on the Employment Team and I have LOVED IT. It would take me A LONG time to explain what all I've learned this Summer. Anyway, I have met people at all the libraries around the metro. (Libraries are a whole new world now, by the way. Kids today will never know how good they have it now. *grin*) In one library in particular, there were a bunch of kids participating in a day camp at the library. So, as I was teaching my student, I noticed that two of the kids (who had skin different than white) were playing on the computers and made avatars that had white skin, blonde hair, and their bodies were thin. My heart broke a little. These young gals were beautiful (I mean that in a very appropriate way) as they are, it broke my heart that they felt they need blond hair and white skin to be pretty. I didn't say anything to them, I mean I was the new kid at the library.

Not too long after that first encounter, I was back at the library. There were three or four young gals in dark skin, and their avatars were white with blonde hair. I had to bite my lip, as my heart broke for them. I continued to teach, but at the end, I did walk over to them and told them that they're beautiful just as they are.

So, as we dive into a new school year (I start teaching in a high school an hour a week in September with more to come) I want to encourage all my readers to BE YOU. What ever that looks like, YOU BE YOU.

If you are smart, be smart, don't hide it.

If you are short, that's okay, you'll never bump your head going under doorways. *grin*

If you're tall, enjoy seeing life from a perspective that short people don't. *giggle*

If you have a disability, don't let it hold you back. YOU BE YOU.

Your skin color doesn't define you. It's part of you, but not all of you. Don't wish to be someone else. YOU BE YOU.

I could go on and on. I won't though, as the week is about to start and sleep is a priority.

Before I head up to sleep, I want to encourage you to be you.

We don't need cookie cutters or copy cats of each other.

We need each other to be different so that the world is a better place.

YOU BE YOU.

I'll be me.

We get one life. ONE.

Make it count.

*grin*
LIFE IS AWESOME.