Generative Exercise

 At ten years old kids are very impressionable. They care about what the people around them are saying. They love to feel reassured by their peers and superiors. My dad was a passionate Cleveland Browns fan. This type of choice was a rare one made in general, but it was definitely rare living in Pennsylvania. We were just two hours outside of Pittsburgh. I went to school feeling like this odd and comical minority. Everyone else went to school dressed in their Pittsburgh Steelers attire and my parents made me wear a big Browns jersey on the special school days assigned to wearing a favorite sports team. I stuck out like a sore thumb. I always felt embarrassed. The boys who actually knew stuff about football would tease me. I acted as this 10-year-old display of my parents' personality. I hated this feeling. I hated the conflict that would race through my mind when telling my parents it was my 'favorite team day' at school.

I find now that it was not worth stressing over. Today I proudly wear whatever I want. Mostly because I understand the issue in conforming to standards. I understand the importance of beating your own drum. And although I wasn't really doing that at 10 years old, it taught me that it is okay to do that. I shouldn't be ashamed of myself. 

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