Expectations

Throughout the years we have (obviously) met and interacted with different people. Some have had more of an impact in our lives than others. Aside from that, through, call it chemistry or fate or whatever you choose to, we have grown close to some of these people while not necessarily growing close to others.

Now, I've always been a very accepting of other people and their differences in characters. I am friends with all kinds of people from all walks of life because to me, as long as I have the right chemistry with you, we can be friends regardless of whatever differences we may have in other aspects. I mean, I don't have to accept what you believe in, be it political, religious etc. For me its quite simple, who you are as a person and how you treat other people is what matters the most.

Society has more often than not placed a lot of expectations on how people should be. In this case I'm not talking about the social norms of how people treat one another and how society behaves in general because in that case I believe we need social norms to guide how we act towards one another. I mean it's not like I want people to be thieves or to just go around killing or anything like that.

What I'm on about right now is the way society wants people to be and act on a personal level. How you're supposed to be doing this at this age and that at that age. I think every single one of us was made in a unique way and making people conform to what is considered 'normal' is forcing people to lose who they really are and get lost as individuals. I, as well as some of my 20-something friends, have at times found ourselves asking and questioning our identities as individuals; trying to 'find ourselves' so to speak, and yes I do see how corny that sounds but this is how I can best explain it.

After some reflection, I came to realize that, because everyone is different, there are people who have somehow managed to make rules as to how people are 'supposed to be'....these "select" few have created expectations of the society. You're supposed to follow a certain specified path from birth to death. Sure you can slightly deviate but not too much because then you will be frowned upon. It's these expectations that ultimately put pressure on us and force us to be not who we really are but rather what we are 'expected' to be.

I for one believe in being true to one's self. I believe we have all been made unique and special and just magical and to be anything less than who we really are is nothing short of robbing ourselves of the best experience we can and should have in life. Its okay to sometimes make mistakes, veer off to a path that may end up hurting us because I believe everything, regardless how horrible it seems, happens for a reason and maybe it's necessary to pass through it even if it may not make sense at the time.

I believe in being myself, my true self for all intents and purposes and if this 'society' doesn't seem to agree with that then it's okay as long as I'm being true to myself. Those who accept us in our true selves are after all the one's worth having in this magical ride call life. So I say, be true to yourself, love, be kind to everyone and just live your life YOUR way. As for society's expectations? Well you live your life for you, not the society....remember how you were born alone and will ultimately be buried alone? Yeah exactly.

Till next time!

Anne xo