In Praise of My Inner Freakazoid

weird and wonderful girl, you have set me free.

you pushed me over the lines into that scary expanse and endured those funny looks. you dressed me in all the "wrong" clothes and got me to sing loudly before I could think to contain my voice. you gracelessly blurted your truth, our truth, for all to see and hear. you pushed me right out there into that awkward spotlight for all to see. and at first i cowered and cringed. but i found that i could still breathe. and i could still be loved.

some people walked away. others, my favorites, stayed. and new people... wonderful people, and even some like-minded freakaziods appeared out of the woodwork. i would never have known them but for you and all the strange frequencies you sent out into the universe.

thank you for continuing to think when i stopped. thank you for refusing to follow the rules that didn't make sense. thank you for pushing back when i tried to push you down. thank you for speaking up.

i thought you were brave than me, but it turns out i'm actually you.