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at choice, Billie Eilish, Billy Porter, Dealing with stress, Feeling energized, freedom, Freedom to be different, Kebba Buckley Button, stress, The life you want
©2020 Kebba Buckley Button, MS, OM. World Rights Reserved.
Do you ever think about your freedom to be different? We in the USA celebrate our broadest freedom: people’s right to live as they choose. Most Americans want people to live entirely as they choose. Each American can choose how to express himself/herself. Yet how much do we exercise this vital freedom?
Can others tell you what is right to wear? Each year, the fashion world changes the colors and shapes of fashion that are “in”. Some people like to play the game and buy new colors and styles, mixing up their wardrobe collection to have fresh looks. But there are extremes of cultural ideas about what fashions are important to match. in 2009, I saw a video scene that still burns in my memory. In a Taliban-ruled community, girls at age 11 were expected to start wearing a light blue burka with an open-weave eye opening. One day, twenty girls looked at each other and asked, “[W]hat would happen if we took these off?” They took them off and joyfully ran down a hill, together, celebrating their humanity, not their sameness.
In the 1930’s, in the US, a woman could be arrested for wearing pants in public. From the 1990’s, comedienne Ellen Degeneres has always performed in pants outfits. For several decades, flamboyant pianist Liberace wore some of the most dramatic and much-discussed caped, bejeweled outfits. For centuries, some people have been “cross-dressers” and in recent decades, some have even changed their bodies to fit a gender they prefer. In personal expression, today, we have fashion groundbreakers such as Billy Porter, who wore a tuxedo dress to the Oscars. Unheard of 50 years ago, people now sport blue, red, purple, or green hair; singer Billy Eilish has made green-layered hair part of her trademark look.
Being different isn’t a bad thing. It means you are brave enough to be yourself.
~Unknown
Some of our differences are aspects we are born with. I was born with white-blonde hair, 10 fingers and 10 toes. My sisters were all born with rich red hair, each with 10 fingers and 10 toes. We were often called “cotton top” and “carrot top”. Riding a train one day, leaving New York City, I helped a woman with a beautiful baby in a carrier. I had never before seen a baby with 6 perfect toes on each gorgeous little foot. So where is it written that 10 is the correct number of toes? These were perfect. My ideas of what is normal, same, and usual expanded that day.
A priest friend of mine has a son, Christopher. When he was about 6, my friend shared this story, which I am sharing with her generous permission: “Christopher came home from his 2 nights at church camp raving about the ‘coolest man who was born with only one hand!’ The fact that he was born this way delighted the child and clearly expanded his worldview immensely, because it hadn’t occurred to him this was a possibility before. We may get nervous when our kids stare at someone who looks different than them, but Christopher made it clear that differences are marvelous, exciting, and inspiring. Children are curious about people and want to celebrate the uniqueness of others which then, I imagine, makes the other not quite so other. And I am pretty sure that’s what the world needs. Thanks, Christopher!”
How much do we believe everyone is or should be the same? When we take delight in our originality and our differences, we are free. In what ways would you like to be or act your differentness? Celebrate your freedom and feel the joy. As you are able, exercise your freedom to be different. Truly, we are In/Joy/Meant. And that’s being: Healthy Happy Loving Lifesm! Are you in?
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Kebba Buckley Button is a stress management expert and award-winning author who celebrates life. She also has a longtime natural healing practice and is an ordained minister. Among her books are: Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), Inspirations for Peace Within: Quotes and Images to Uplift and Inspire, and Sacred Meditation: Embracing the Divine. The books are available on Amazon and through Kebba’s office. To email us, kebba@kebba.com .
Books by Kebba Buckley Button
Healthy Happy Loving Life! 
How delightful to revel in our differences! They are to be celebrated, not hidden. Christopher is a wonderful teacher at 6 years old!
While I have never seen a baby with 6 toes, I have seen a cat with extra toes!
Thank you for sharing this, Kebba!
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Paul, yes! Differences are blessings. And what will Christopher be like in his teens and adulthood? Awesome!
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Lovely post. Being different is wonderful.
I wonder though, if some people are merely following the crowd to be different? If green hair is the in thing, then how different are we if we have green hair? If being different is the in thing, then what are we doing to be different even if it’s not who we are?
Because as wonderful as it is to be different, there is a part of us that also wants to be a part of a group and revel in the commonality. It’s why we create groups. We want to be with people like us.
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Anna Maria, that’s the big paradox, isn’t it? You “have to” be different by this week’s fashion standards! That’s how you stay a part of the group.
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Dare to be different and do your own thing!
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Martha, yes, I believe in celebrating our differences! I believe God made us all different, to keep things interesting!
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Last year there was talk of banning the burka, now the law wants us all to cover up.
Yes we certainly are all different, and “Vive la difference”
My brother was different due to an illness called cerebral palsy. A friend has a pair of toes that are grown together.
Some are different to be noticed and others are noticed because they are different.
Our mind is like a parachute, it only works when it is open.
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Doug, I like your mind! I totally agree with you. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
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