As the old adage goes, you are beautiful just the way you are. This is a familiar phrase to most, and many kids who have been bullied or teased can remember their parents telling them this on some occasion. I can remember my parents telling me this when I would come home from school in tears. We live in a world that advertises individuality. We are a part of a school system that supports diversity and uniqueness. Does human nature really desire a difference among people or does it strive for conformity? It is important that students recognize their differences, harbor them and use them in a constructive way to add to their character.
Growing up with Tourette’s syndrome is something most teenagers and young kids never have to experience, and it made my childhood a struggle. I remember that in grade school my teachers would explain that being different was something to be proud of but when I went to middle school and eventually high school, having Tourette’s did not make me proud; it made me ashamed.
Many times when we walk through the hallways of high school or the streets of our cities we become witnesses to bullying and name calling. Oftentimes when we become spectators of such injustice we turn a blind eye and remain silent. We ultimately allow for diversity to be shunned and for people to feel like outsiders.
It was hard learning how to handle my situation as Tourette’s Syndrome affects only one out of every 1,000 people. I got picked on a lot at school, and the truth is, it never stops hurting. I had to learn how to make my disability into something constructive. I did not understand for a couple of years, but Tourette’s is the biggest blessing in my life. I had always been different and that was not going to change, but my mindset could. For the longest time people had criticized me for being different, making fun of me for my condition. Growing up, I stopped fearing rejection and the lack of acceptance. I learned how to be myself and what that truly meant. I was no longer afraid to voice my opinions or stick up for what I felt was right. So what if people did not like me? Some would decide not to regardless of my personality.
We have the opportunity to welcome differences and embrace them, even if they are our own. Normality is a formality and the trick is to find what you see as a flaw and make it a desirable quality. You have the opportunity to alter your perspective and decide to change the world around you by becoming accepting of yourself and others.
