day 19: the odd one out

hi again!! i hope all is well! today's topic is about making others feel included.

in elementary school, i was always left out. i always had been. maybe this was because my friends actually didn't like me, which is a possibility.  i was the one who would have to be the lava monster when we played. i was the 5th player in four-square. and always. no matter what. the one who walked on the grass next to the sidewalk, or behind the group.

throughout elementary school, i cried and cried to my mom each night while i sat on her lap and explained what had happened that day. i can't even imagine the pain my mom went through hearing that her sweet little girl was not being treated the best in school. so, when we moved to florida in the summer before 6th grade, i didn't even shed a tear as we drove out of our driveway for the very last time.

now, one of my very close friends, shylah, is someone that i immediately thought of when i started to write this post. she is one of the most caring people i know and she always makes sure me, and others, feel included. she'll explain the inside jokes to me, waits for me so that i don't walk alone and is just so understanding in a way that is unparalleled. so shout-out shylah!! love ya!!

people really underestimate how much it means to feel included. so when somebody seems left out of the conversation, try to explain to them what is happening. or if somebody is walking behind the group, walk with them. no matter what, i always try to do these things because i know how much it hurts to be the odd one out. especially when that group shoves it in your face.

explain the silly inside jokes even though it might feel a little weird having to explain them. but what feels even weirder is when two girls will talk about their inside joke and you just sit there, feeling dumber than you've ever felt in your life because though you've asked, "oh what does that mean??", those girls just keep talking.

for the reasons above, i never want anyone to feel this way. if someone asks about an inside joke, i'm the first to explain it. i hate talking about an event in front of a group that i know some people weren't invited to because it digs a pit into my stomach. but, i know that not everybody feels this way. some people don't care about others' feelings, and i'm not trying to change those people. the purpose of this post was to be a bit  of an eye-opener so that you can feel something you might have never felt, and understand someone else's perspective.

today's topic really dug deep for me and i hope that i was able to explain a feeling to you that i never ever want anyone to have to go through. have a fantastic rest of your day and i'll catch you on the next one!

don't wish for it, work for it.