You Know Where to Find Me

It's a curious place to be dancing on the fringe and have other people tell you that you're not happy there. Disguised by phrases like, "I just want what's best for you," and "You could be really happy/successful/popular if you'd just..", people always seem to know what's best for you even when they don't know what drives you.

I figured out a while ago that I like being on the outskirts. For a long time I fought that. I thought everybody should want to be in the thick of it, the center of attention, on stage for the world to gawk at and (allegedly) aspire to. But then I realized that when you're "there", it's a constant battle to stay "there" and friendships are fragilely based on mutual promotion.

In the outskirts you're freer to be who you want to be. There's room to breathe. Room to twirl. Room to see what's really going on. And room to ignore who and what you wish to ignore.

But take heed when center stage sees your bliss out there on the fringe. Oh mama, that unleashes the fury. How dare you enjoy life on your own terms!

There are certain people who only enjoy life when they dominate the rest of us. Those people want you to want what THEY want, and they really want you to want what they have (or perceive themselves to have), because that is what makes them feel superior. They want to see the green monster of envy in your eyes because that is what validates them. And when you don't want what they think is important, it's an affront to their personal values.

It's tiring dealing with people like this.