Be Weird. Be You.

Facebook friends--you've heard this story. But bear with me.

A few weeks ago I encountered a young man with a backpack. But this was no ordinary backpack. Nay. This pack belonged on no back. This was a rolly backpack.

As soon as I saw this guy (a different guy than Mr. Smooth pictured above), I started making fun of him in my head. I mean, after all this is college. And he looked like a dork. But then I realized something.

THIS MAN WAS WINNING. 

How? Well if he doesn't give a crap if his backpack choice isn't "cool"....then who gives a crap? He'll probably end up with a less jacked-up back than me. 

We're all so afraid of being weird. But when we get down to it, we're all pretty stinkin' strange. Me for example...

When I was a kid a had a baton (it used to belong to my mom). I used to love to twirl it. But under specific circumstances. This was my process:

1. Set up the boombox in the living room

2. Make sure I wasn't wearing a shirt

3. Play some bumpin Christian music

4. Spin around in circles, twirling that baton like there was no tomorrow

I remember doing this while my grandparents were over one time. Like right after dinner. I can only image my Dad sitting in his chair, looking at my performance and thinking,

"It's gonna be a long few years....Honey, we signed him up for sports, right?"

I was a weird little kid. But we all were. And do you remember how awesome being a kid was? 

At some point we got the idea that we had to be "cool". When did that happen? Middle school probably. And how do you remember middle school?

Yeah it sucked. 

So maybe we should all just chill out and accept the fact that we're all weird. And we all need to stop trying so hard. 

Maybe you lose some friends because you actually start being you. But you know what? They should have never been you friends in the first place. They're probably jerks anyway. And then something sweet might happen: you gain true friends who appreciate you for you.

So grab that rolly backpack. Stay in those sweat pants all day. Dress up as a superhero. Maybe actually speak your mind for once. Pick up that shiny, awesome baton...and be weird; be you. 

Because...