I am not long and lean like Sade. I have come to accept it most days. I was supposed to be at least 5'9. I'm not. I come from average sized people.
When I was a teen being tall was like a passport to being cool. I was a nerd so I needed something. I thought height would help me transcend my nerdom. No, it was foretold that I was destined to be a nerd.
Extra inches would not have made me less of one. But I could dream.
Looking at Sade I still feel I was robbed. Cuz we don't visualize short women singing down into the city and everybody chilling out.
Now truth be told, I can do a lot of things that tall people cannot. I got that short grizzly determination that cannot be obtained by being born to be lanky. Sade is born to be who she is and she is dang good at it. Her voice puts folks in relaxation mode.
I celebrate her greatness and how she isn't in the headlines doing or saying embarrassing stuff. Really, she needs to give celebrity lessons on how to behave yourself in public.
Me, it is a day to day job just being me. Except for the days when I get pissed at being me because somehow I wasn't enough. Then I remember, I am supposed to be here looking this way.
I am comfy and cushy and, in certain countries, I am a sex symbol. I am all of this plus a nerd. Who could ask for anything more?
So here I am. Finding my way again. Come the end of the day I will remember to Cherish the Day and catch up with my Sade CD.
If I can find it under all the books and papers.
I hear you about Sade.
ReplyDeleteMy birthed a daughter who is 5'10", size 10, beautiful brown skin. Who dat? I often ask. She looks like the girls I envied growing up.
On the other hand, my big butt, wide hipped self was in my glory when I took classes in West African dance as a teen. I could work them hips and so - except for the long legged thing - I am pretty much okay with being 5'7" and voluptuous.
Cherish the day. Love being us/you.