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| Embracing individuality in Year of the Brooch |
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| Opinion | |||
| Written by Angela Eby | |||
| Wednesday, 14 January 2009 08:00 | |||
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A few years ago, I started declaring my own New Year. The Chinese have “The Year of the Dragon” or “The Year of the Rat” so why can’t I? You see, on one of my significant birthdays, I was bemoaning my increasing age to a good friend of mine. She scoffed at my concern, exclaiming her own personal enjoyment in the aging process (not actually the effects of aging on her body). You see, the older she got, the less she cared what others thought about her. Her carelessness wasn’t a manifestation of selfishness nor was it done with an attitude of exclusion. Rather, it inspired her to embrace her true self regardless of how others would respond. I liked this approach to life — freedom to express who you are. We are all created unique beings; no two of us are alike. Sure, we share things in common. Those shared interests draw us closer to those who become our intimates in life. However, the desire to fit in can result in a loss of our individuality. That, my friends, is a shame. In fact, this is the very thing that drove me to Louisburg (my husband thinks we moved here because he wanted a little bit of land and horses). I call it the Johnson County Beige Effect. You see, we lived in one of those subdivisions where every house looked the same, only a different shade of beige. Boring! When it came time to paint the house again, we picked out a color called “Kansas Wheat.” It sounds very earth tone, yes? In reality, it was a nice shade of yellow. We got an approval from the homeowners’ association president and began painting. Within minutes, we received complaints. That’s when I decided it was time to move. Don’t get me wrong; Johnson County is a great place to shop, I just didn’t want to live there anymore. So we moved, and my friend planted this idea in my fertile mind — be yourself. It is a novel concept, really. So, for the last few years I’ve embraced a new accessory each year. You know, the kind of thing I always wanted to wear but didn’t because nobody else did. First, it was the Year of the Scarf. Next, the Year of the Hat (and I don’t mean ball cap). This is the Year of the Brooch. And let me tell you, I love it. And, ironically, I receive many compliments on my unusual accessories, which leads me to believe there are more people out there with similar interests who, out of fear, don’t do these things because no one else does. Well, guess what? Someone is. I dare you to join me. Declare your Year.
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