I’ve always been attracted to the different.
The tree at the edge of my front yard resembles Charlie Brown‘s Christmas tree – only taller. With spindly branches that extend frailly in every direction, it looks out of place. Its leaves are late to bloom each spring, and during the winter, the snow and ice weigh it down and cause the limbs to bow onto the street so that cars are forced to veer around it.
My wife thinks that I should chop it down.
I refuse.
I think that it has character.
For a couple of years, I’ve posted videos to YouTube. The majority of these videos have been vlogs. I don’t subscribe to many of the popular channels because most of them follow a formula to achieve popularity which makes it difficult to experience a human connection. They don’t respond to comments, so the communication is, in effect, one way. They are entertainers.
Many of the obscure vloggers, like me, focus less on the entertainment aspect of video-making and more of the communicative possibilities. Vloggers share their experiences and their views of the world. They offer glimpses into realities which we may otherwise never see. They respond to feedback and, in doing so, enrich our understanding of others.
They are a diverse collection of lovable characters.
When I say that I’m attracted to the different, I don’t mean the odd, crazy, or bizarre. I mean the calm, thoughtful, and humble. You see, we seem to pay too much attention to the loud, the abrasive, and the self-centered. So much so, that a person with a realistic sense of self has become, well, different.
Watch reality television, read random tweets, or observe how people behave in public. What do you see? I see a society that tends to embrace self-aggrandizement as if it were a virtue. It’s really unattractive behavior.
I find it hard to get to know you, if all you talk about is yourself.
If you are the person sitting alone at a party, I’m more likely to walk over and speak with you than I am to seek out the “life of the party” who craves attention. You’re probably more interesting because you are not trying to entertain.
No chest-beating, fist-pumping, attention-seeking histrionics required.
A person should have more depth than a cartoon character.
Some of the most interesting conversations that I have had have been with people who want nothing. They have no overt agenda and are simply trying to communicate and connect with another person.
It’s during these conversations that we learn about one another. We delve beneath the surface and discover the triggers that make us tick.
Our lows are just as important as our highs in shaping who we are because successes are often built upon failures. Our differences add context to our experiences. The lowly tree is beautiful when viewed in the right light.
To think differently, for me, would be out of character.
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Ray } – 
