Being the Other - Fitting In -

I was reared with both of my parents saying, "Why would you like to be like everyone else?" I remember the first time I was told to be myself - 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Gooch, looking at my cursive writing, and knowing that the year before, Becky had been in her class, was my neighbor, and my idol, said to me, "Ronda, why would you want to be like someone else when being you is so important." I'm not sure that I truly understood what she was teaching me, yet the lesson lingered, and while my cursive did look a little like Becky's, it was definitely my hand-writing. 

Tough thing about this statement though, is that I have spent my years being different, and yearning to fit in. From 4th grade writing lesson to 5th grade not passing the "join the club" vetting, to my first marriage, divorcing, remarriage, and even my education and careers, I have been the black-sheep, although still a sheep. I believe being the other, has, to some degree, allowed me to step away from competing and comparing, and to forge my own path, my own hand-writing. 

If you don’t fit in, then you are probably doing the right thing.

Interestingly, shortly before posting this, a call came in that a patient had coded. All the medical team was working on the patient, and I was able to stand back with the spouse and explain what was happening, and hold her hand, and give the team space. 

And when everyone left the room, I remained, the other, the one not in scrubs, and the patient leaned in and said, "Thank you for being here." 

Today, when I was not fitting in, I stayed, doing what I do best, my right thing.