Discover your Inner Individual

“Our individuality is all, all, that we have. There are those who barter it for security, those who repress it for what they believe is the betterment of the whole society, but blessed in the twinkle of the morning star is the one who nurtures it and rides it in, in grace and love and wit, from peculiar station to peculiar station along life's bittersweet route.”

― Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

I have recently been discussing gender inequality with an interesting intergenerational and inter gender group of people. The discussion began with an article about how men get away with interrupting women all the time. My contribution to the discussion was that professional women must mentor younger women like the Old Boys do.

Whatever alleged or objective facts you’d like to insist on or to vehemently deny on this topic, we didn’t get around to the issue of whether we should stop seeing what categorizes us and sorts us into what tribes and then fighting about it. Maybe we should start seeing  - and being - individuals.

Unlike the little lady pictured in this metaphor, I now have the luxury of being myself – of being who I want to be. I no longer really give a crap what anybody thinks of me. I don’t have a boss to impress, kingdoms to conquer, a daycare budget. I don’t have a spouse or significant other whose interests I consider and whose needs and desires impose responsibilities on me.

I am liking being an individual these days. I’m also recognizing fellow riders who are nice individuals to know. Gotta say, I’m at a peculiarly good station just now. If anybody is looking for a mentor in how to be an individual, I’m playing at the Learning Annex all week.