In Transition

Our culture is obsessed with being original. Everywhere you turn: Facebook, twitter, magazines, books, TV Ads, inspirational poster, you are bombarded with one message: Don’t try to be like everyone else. Just be yourself.

Conformity is looked down upon. But I feel like we are missing the larger picture. We are more alike than we are different. Most people can think of someone who, if they looked alike, would be a carbon copy of them.

I don’t think it is bad to be like everyone else as long as you stay true to yourself at the same time. If you happen to like the latest fashion, fine. It isn’t a big deal. But if you don’t like it, don’t wear it just because everyone else is. It is that simple.

I love social networking. So do most of my classmates. I love music. So does everyone else I know. I’m kind and sometimes mean. Loud, opinionated, and intense when I care about someone or a topic being discussed. So are millions of other people in the world. In reality, I’m not as unique as I’d like to think I am.

What makes us unique is the role we play in the lives of others. Even though there are plenty of teenage girls just like me, I’m best friends with Sheyenne for a reason. Same goes for her. There are plenty of girls who love food, cheerleading, reading and who would like to strangle their siblings. Yet somehow, in a town of almost 35,000 we found each other. Even more miraculous is that in a world of more than 7 billion people we where born when we were born and attended the same school and were in the same class at the same time and even though we could have been best friends with 50 other kids we somehow became best friends. The two of us. Pretty cool, right?

So next time you worry about being original remember this: to your family and friends and God you are one of a kind. You are exactly where you need to be and who you are for a reason.