Okay to be Different.
Cousinfest 2013 was exactly what I thought it was going to be. It was so good to see all the family I did, share the stories I did. I loved it.
But the biggest impact I feel that was made this weekend, was on a little cousin of mine.
Fallon is 10 years old, and she said some amazing words to me yesterday:
"When I'm spending time with you, I no longer feel like I'm the one with the problem. I feel like everyone else has the problem."
Fallon comes from a very strict family. She needs to behave a certain way, like certain things, dress accordingly. She is being shaped to be the perfect young lady that her mother wants her to become. But Fallon is not that. Fallon is like me. She's cut from a different cloth.
When I first arrived Saturday morning, Fallon and I spent our first bit of time together, and within ten minutes of talking to this young girl, I asked her "So. You going to raptor run back to the campfire with me?" The look on her face was priceless. It was that initial "WTF is wrong with you?" kind of look. Then instantly, her eyes lit up and she stood straighter and I heard her say "yea! Let's do that!" So, the first bonding moment Fallon and I had, was us raptor running and wailing at the top of our lungs. Since then, I gained a shadow. Fallon went with me everywhere, and really, whenever I'd look at her, I felt as though I was watching myself at ten.
Anytime I would talk to somebody about my life and where I'm at, she would listen with rapt attention. She asked numerous questions about my hobbies, the dancing, the horses, the bollywood, etc.
Sunday night, I pulled out the glow sticks and made glow poi so some of us older kids could entertain ourselves. And of course, Fallon had a set made for her. And we kind of toyed around, talked to each other, I taught her a couple of the basic things. Then while I was working my way through a five beat weave, I noticed her just standing there, her own glowsticks held in hand, but she was just watching me. When I faltered and left a pretty healthy welt on my thigh, I finally smiled a little sheepishly at her and offered a quiet "Yea, I know. I have really strange hobbies."
She shook her head, told me "No. You have really amazing hobbies." And that's when she said it. And suddenly, I felt really bad for this young girl. No ten year old girl should ever feel like they are a problem just because they're a little eccentric. But I also realized just how much this young girl must suddenly have looked up to me. Devon built so much suspense for her to finally meet me, and since the moment we hopped around squawking and growling, I don't think I've disappointed her.
It was just a special feeling, that by meeting me, this girl who was a little bit "different" realized that no, she was not a problem, and she can be a perfectly acceptable and young woman while being quirky. She even listened in on the conversation between Betty and I, where I was drilled on the details about FMK, and she sat there going "You can MEET boys like that?"
I think, next summer, or when Fallon is old enough, I'm going to suggest to Rosie that Fallon come and spend a week or so with me, in Mortlach. I just feel like it's really important to this girl to know that it's okay to be a little bit crazy.
I'm so glad the eccentric streak in my family is continuing.
:)
But the biggest impact I feel that was made this weekend, was on a little cousin of mine.
Fallon is 10 years old, and she said some amazing words to me yesterday:
"When I'm spending time with you, I no longer feel like I'm the one with the problem. I feel like everyone else has the problem."
Fallon comes from a very strict family. She needs to behave a certain way, like certain things, dress accordingly. She is being shaped to be the perfect young lady that her mother wants her to become. But Fallon is not that. Fallon is like me. She's cut from a different cloth.
When I first arrived Saturday morning, Fallon and I spent our first bit of time together, and within ten minutes of talking to this young girl, I asked her "So. You going to raptor run back to the campfire with me?" The look on her face was priceless. It was that initial "WTF is wrong with you?" kind of look. Then instantly, her eyes lit up and she stood straighter and I heard her say "yea! Let's do that!" So, the first bonding moment Fallon and I had, was us raptor running and wailing at the top of our lungs. Since then, I gained a shadow. Fallon went with me everywhere, and really, whenever I'd look at her, I felt as though I was watching myself at ten.
Anytime I would talk to somebody about my life and where I'm at, she would listen with rapt attention. She asked numerous questions about my hobbies, the dancing, the horses, the bollywood, etc.
Sunday night, I pulled out the glow sticks and made glow poi so some of us older kids could entertain ourselves. And of course, Fallon had a set made for her. And we kind of toyed around, talked to each other, I taught her a couple of the basic things. Then while I was working my way through a five beat weave, I noticed her just standing there, her own glowsticks held in hand, but she was just watching me. When I faltered and left a pretty healthy welt on my thigh, I finally smiled a little sheepishly at her and offered a quiet "Yea, I know. I have really strange hobbies."
She shook her head, told me "No. You have really amazing hobbies." And that's when she said it. And suddenly, I felt really bad for this young girl. No ten year old girl should ever feel like they are a problem just because they're a little eccentric. But I also realized just how much this young girl must suddenly have looked up to me. Devon built so much suspense for her to finally meet me, and since the moment we hopped around squawking and growling, I don't think I've disappointed her.
It was just a special feeling, that by meeting me, this girl who was a little bit "different" realized that no, she was not a problem, and she can be a perfectly acceptable and young woman while being quirky. She even listened in on the conversation between Betty and I, where I was drilled on the details about FMK, and she sat there going "You can MEET boys like that?"
I think, next summer, or when Fallon is old enough, I'm going to suggest to Rosie that Fallon come and spend a week or so with me, in Mortlach. I just feel like it's really important to this girl to know that it's okay to be a little bit crazy.
I'm so glad the eccentric streak in my family is continuing.
:)