01 October, 2012

On Being Unique

When my daughter introduces herself to someone new, if her best friend is around the friend will caveat the introduction with a statement referring to my daughter:  "She's unique."
Finally tiring of this caveat, my daughter asked her friend what she meant; how was my daughter more unique than another person?
he response, "Your mom is blind."
My daughter says that my vision (or lack there of) has nothing to do with her being unique.  
To which her friend responds "Well, you walk everywhere."  (I don't see well enough to drive) 
True, but does this make my daughter unique?
In this part of the United States, it does.  Were we located in San Francisco, Boston, New York City, or even Chicago, walking everywhere wouldn't be an issue.  Then again, if we lived in any of those cities, not having a car wouldn't give people pause either.  We could live in most cities in the world and not have a car; people wouldn't think twice.  There are places where having a car makes a person unique.
My daughter doesn't take issue with the idea that she is unique; however, she is unique in her own right.  
Our walking everywhere doesn't give her a unique personality nor does my "being blind," but these aspects of her upbringing give her a perspective that might be
less common.
What does make my daughter unique?
She is a confident tween who does her own thing and whose self assuredness is increasing with her age.  But she isn't only confident, she has a self realization and an appreciation for others, that at her age, might set her apart as being unique.
She has an open mind and a happy demeanor.  The child is continually challenging herself to explore new opportunities.
Were Yung to meet her, he would identify her immediate as the archetypical "poet."  It is her nature to find the beauty in the details and to note the shadows; to use the world around her as a means to describe and demonstrate.  While she is Yung's "Poet," she is not the "Storyteller;" reminding me that there is a difference between
the two.
My daughter has a unique life; lives with an eccentric  parent; and is
raised in a non-traditional parenting relationship/mindset.  That might contribute to her  diversity.  I believe that this environment and my parenting are more supportive of her own unique traits over my being the reason she is unique.

3 comments:

Lesley said...

Kids are so interesting in how they want to be individuals yet come to identify one another by more than just themselves. I think it's awesome that your daughter knows the difference between what makes her unique versus what makes her life unique. So much of the latter is just temporary.

BigLittleWolf said...

...she isn't only confident, she has a self realization and an appreciation for others, that at her age, might set her apart as being unique.
She has an open mind and a happy demeanor. The child is continually challenging herself to explore new opportunities.


What extraordinary statements to be able to make about one's child in today's world. This must be sweet satisfaction, and I dare say "an eccentric parent" might do a lot of people good - especially during the years when they are absorbing qualities and perspectives from those around them.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi TE .. I think it's great - congratulations to your daughter for just being her, and allowing you to just be you - her friend obviously can't relate to the differences, that you see as quite normal.

I quite agree with Big Little Wolf's comment ...

She'll be a very happy person during her lifetime ... and you can be extremely proud of her right now ... cheers Hilary