Two pieces of glass
About holding on to your uniqueness with grace
Picture this……
A sharp piece of green glass upon a beach.
It came from a smashed, pretty, emerald coloured bottle.
It never belonged on this stretch of beige coast.
It was destined for wonderful parties, fun, interesting company…….yet somehow ended up broken and washed up with a bunch of dull, old stones.
Discarded, forgotten about….. jagged.
It lies in wait for those unlucky enough to encounter it with their barefoot vulnerability and when they do…… it maims them, causes pain.
As soon as people notice it, it is avoided.
Left well alone.
Not too far away, on the same bland beach, lies another piece of green glass. It had the same ‘bottle’ beginnings and was plunged into a similar voyage.
It is smooth and well rounded, has made peace with its environment. It too, didn’t belong here on this beach, but instead of fearing it, people actively seek it out as precious.
It is highly regarded.
It attracts.
Those fortunate enough to stumble upon it, name it ‘sea glass’ They hold it to the sun and its enchanting light is reflected on to them. It’s treasure.
At no point in time did it become like its surroundings, ‘blend in’. Its difference meant it never could. It retains its individuality yet is revered.
Both pieces of glass are essentially
THE SAME SUBSTANCE.
The thing is, unlike glass, with people - you - don’t have to wait decades or turn through tides to be an everyday gem.
You don’t have to be worn down.
You get to choose. Now.
You can retain what makes you unique and special WITHOUT compromise. It’s not ‘one or the other’.
You don’t have to sell out or hold back.
There is a way, that like sea glass, we get to honour and live our essence, keep our magnificent colours that make us stand out from the crowd
WITHOUT being spiky.
WITHOUT having hard edges that pierce and hurt.
Choose well.
You can be the jagged shard that wounds, repels.
OR
A sought after jewel that shines brightly upon others.
Either way, you’ll be noticed.
So, stand out for the right reasons.
There’s a myth that In order to be ourselves and stand up for our beliefs, we must be arsey but my best self knows it’s not true. The people I most admire, are those who change the world not by what they say but how they live, day to day. The people you chat to or see and think “I wanna be more like them”. This is an energy that’s carried forward. I may try and write more about this because I think it’s the key to effecting change.
I can see that. I felt it personally as I feel I’ve spent most of my life allowing myself to be worn down to fit into the spaces that other people need me to fill, instead of just being myself. Now I don’t know who I am or what I want. Events that have happened in the last few years (both personally and in the world) have helped to bring me closer to my authentic self: it’s a painful process of shedding layers, but I am grateful for it.