Fitting In

Fitting in

It is such a huge part of all our lives. Wanting to be a part of something. Wanting to fit it. What does it mean for our individuality? How much does fitting in cost?

All of us see things. And hear some. Who knows, read them even. Some of these things become so important that they just jump out to you at every turn. And everyone’s making a movie about it suddenly. I’m talking about fitting in.

And surely we’ve all heard about that one. Sometimes even tried it out ourselves. Wanting so badly to be a part of something, join the ‘it’ gang, fit in? But what happens to us. Be it conforming to the group norms or choosing to take the cool kid path….do we just end up losing ourselves?

Often I’ve wondered how important this is to us. Especially when I catch myself doing something I never would have imagined. Is that people helping me out of a comfort zone? Or is it me desperately trying to fit in? It’s up for a toss.

It’s fair and very human of us to want to fit in. What with the whole social animal thing. And sometimes fitting in does help. Finding a voice. Finding lasting relationships. Finding the art of team work. Doesn’t look all that bad now? Maybe fitting in and wanting to is okay. As long as it doesn’t end up with us losing ourselves.

Obviously most people who deal with this have quite the struggle. But imagine when fitting in is so much harder. When it’s not even a conscious decision to stand out. The blind man desperately trying to cross the road. The little girl with crutches fumbling at the top the staircase. At least fitting is an option for some of us. It’s about conscious decisions and trying not to be overwhelmed. There are those out there who can’t try as they might. While this is a great opportunity to be grateful for these choices it’s also a great one to be of help. In little ways and big. We have enough voices and resources advocating for the monumental stuff. So let’s talk about the small ones. The least we could do is make fitting in a little easier for them. A companion to cross the street. A hand to help down the stairs.A tiny gesture. A few words. A small contribution. A step towards fitting in.