Not Special.

This post is different.
This time, I'm not going to overwhelm you with my astounding lack of humility. I've been thinking about this for a long while, and am finally taking the time to do something with it.

I heard the first snippet of this speech on the radio on my way to EFY. Yes it is long. But it really is worth it. It's poignant, funny, and VERY well worded. 

(Ironic isn't it? I heard it on my way to Especially For Youth.)

So it's this...

I LOVE Mr. Rogers... and his sweater is ALWAYS red in my mind.

 ... and this.

"You are special, you're the only one, you're the only one like YOU! There isn't another in the whole wide-world who can do the things you do, 'cause you are SPECIAL! SPECIAL! Everyone is SPECIAL! Everyone, in his or her own way! Oh you are SPECIAL, SPECIAL! Everyone is SPECIAL! Everyone in his or her own way."
I did that whole song from memory. Wow.

Versus things like this

I secretly REALLY like this picture.

And EVEN in a Disney Movie. (Sorry about the sound/ picture in-balance.)

I recently went to EFY. I made some friends, and had a great experience. But I also learned stuff like this.
It is FAR from unique to be artistic. I'm good. People are better. And better prepared too. 
I have NEVER carried around a sketchbook. Some people don't leave home without one. And their art is AMAZING.
I'm musical. Big deal. I met 10 people in an hour that could out-do anything I could dream of doing.
I'm a good writer. So what? I met a girl who has three novels going, one totaling almost 300 pages.
What have I done with my writing skills? School essays, and journaling. Neither of which are read by anyone. 
I love T-shirts, and have come up with designs. Someone else I met has had his submitted to be produced for the public. My wit will never leave the pages of my idea-book and the scanty-few I've made with a screen-printing kit.
I'm not that smart. People know the same stuff that I do. We ALL go/went to High School. It's a GENERAL EDUCATION.
Other people know random facts, too. They know the same ones, and ones that are more applicable. I always try to point out when I've done something funny. I like to be recognized for it. I'm missing the point.
I'm not even unique in the combinations of my talents. I heard a girl talking about what she was doing in College, and it was like she was living my un-realized dream. She is just like me... only better.



I have lived in my lovely paradigm where I don't have to decide things. If I am a good student, dabble in the arts, participate in a sport, and work hard, colleges will love me and I won't have to worry about choosing.  A perfect College will magically appear, waving a large scholarship, begging me to live my dreams , because I am just the kind of person they are looking for.
But there are a lot of people like me. Just because it happened one way, for one person, doesn't mean it will happen that way to me. In fact, by the laws of Narnia, it means that it can't . "Nothing happens the same way twice." I'll just have to find my future the hard way. Trial and Error.

So. To apply the last part of the Commencement speech, Dear other 7,051,035,426    people on this Earth  (as of 12:40pm)

What can I do for you?