in which a motorcycle made me feel cool
This past weekend, I had my very first ride on a motorcycle. While on it, I realized that I felt a little cool.
Not completely cool. But kind of cool.
Cool is a word I have never ever ever associated with myself. In high school, I wore glasses and played the flute and got straight As and was neither popular nor athletic. Also, I was in lots of spelling bees in middle school. I was most definitely not considered cool.
Somehow that made me think of someone I know, who probably doesn’t think they’re cool, but I think they’re very cool.
That made me wonder if there might even be people who think I am cool. (What a thought!)
All of this is making me think about labels. About how we apply them to ourselves. About how we apply them to other people. About how we allow those labels to shape us. About how we carry those labels for years, never bothering to take them out and question them.
I am even thinking about labels I might like, because the truth is that they often cause me to extend judgment toward myself and others. If I want to be a kind person, it is hard for me to accept and forgive myself for behavior that is unkind, because it doesn’t align with my perception of a kind person.
I don’t know if it’s possible, but I want to lovingly thank all of my labels for their service and release them with love. I think it would be freeing.
(Ok. I know I just disavowed labels, but I am definitely a thinker, since I seem unable to completely enjoy anything without reflecting on it, even when I don’t mean to. I love that about me.)
How this had me smiling, Elizabeth! And I found so much of myself too in what you were saying. I never use the word cool. I was never one of the “cool kids”–somewhere in the middle. Why there always has to be labels, I don’t know, but as a human species we’ve been labeling a long time. Do we really need labels, I don’t think so, we might be much, much better off without them. ;o) Oh, and I’m loving your Hope Floats daily this month in my inbox. It’s been a tough time lately still, and it’s been a lovely each day to have your uplifting messages. :o) Thank you ((HUGS))
Elizabeth, you are the coolest of the cool! Ha – now I’m labeling too! Anyway, you had me laughing outloud here.
I too wore glasses and played the flute and got good grades in junior high – plus I had braces! Kind of a sad time for me. But that all changed in high school and I became a little more cool… still not up with the “really cool” kids, but cooler.
I hope you never stop being a thinker… I love that about you too!!
I think maybe we’re as cool as we are honest.
Seems like the folks I find “cool” are always
the realest.
Big love to you in the true:)
-Jennifer
@Jennifer: If I think about it, that is true for me as well. Imagine how much less angst we’d have in our early life if that was true then too.
@Patty: Fortunately, I skipped braces. Though it clearly didn’t help. Flute players unite! (Though truth be told, I wanted to play the sax or the drums. I had to play the flute because we had one. Alas for my youthful musical dreams.)
@Tracy: We do like labels! I suppose in some ways, they make it easier for us to take in information and sort it. But then I miss so much. Thinking of you across the water – and I am so glad you’re enjoying the emails.
This made me grin and remember my husband’s first year of teaching. One day he came home with a big grin and said, “My kids think I’m cool. Yup. I’m the cool English teacher! I’ve never been cool before.” I loved that moment.
Relyn: I love that moment too! I can just imagine how he felt. Thank you for sharing that story.