Weird

Can I be honest with you? (Even if you just said no, I’m not going to stop. That was the epitome of a rhetorical question.) I’m weird. If this is your first time reading this blog, you might be thinking “how so?”. If you have been around for a while, you probably picked up that gem long ago. I think differently, I process things differently, and I just AM different in lots of ways.

While we are now being encouraged to celebrate differences, it is not always a second nature thing for us. Bible Study Cousin spent the early years of my adult friendship with her telling me how weird I was. She did not stop hanging with me. She just wanted me to know her opinion and observations. That girl spoke her mind in season and out of season. Whether you asked her or not. Whether you wanted to know or not. And though I was weird, she clearly appreciated the attributes that made me “me.” The perfect jumble of quirks.

She is not the only person that I have been in a close relationship with that used the same descriptive word. I think it is the easiest way to describe me without having to piece apart what that really means. No one has ever told me to “stop being weird.” Or “I do not want to be around you because you are weird.” They just want to acknowledge the fact that I am different.

A close relationship with me is not for the faint of heart. Not because I am combative or mean. Not because I take up too much space or talk for too long. A close relationship with me requires me to be vulnerable and let you see me for who I really am. A girl with dreams and thoughts and processes that may not make sense to you but make perfect sense to me.

Of course, I have friends and family that love and support me. And I am grateful for them all. But on days like today, I REALLY miss my cousin. She was a safe place to share my dreams and thoughts and processes. She was a good sounding board and an even better friend. She accepted me for who I was and that is hard for me to find. Do me a favor. Go hug your weird friend today. Let them know that you are grateful for every unique part of them. They probably need it. #wepreach