Be a Butterfly

I overheard my 14 year old son and our 16 year old neighbor talking in our kitchen over the weekend. My son, Chase was leaning casually against the counter, regarding Shawn half- heartedly, who had been discussing the appropriate dress of a high school boy. Chase had started high school last week, and the initial anxiety of the unknown had already mostly dissipated. Shawn was imparting what he felt was solid advice to help my son fit in at school.

"I have never seen a high school boy wear shorts like that, never," Shawn stated, without malice. Chase shrugged, smiled, and didn't reply. He was clearly not as bothered as I was by this comment. I am always protective of Chase's feelings, but it suddenly dawned on me that he is comfortable in his own skin, and in his off color clothes as well.

One of the many things I adore about my child, is that he is 100 percent his own person. He doesn't need society, me, a friend, or anyone to tell him who to be. This particular night he was sporting long black and red shorts with gold zippered pockets. He had long brown socks with skulls on them (borrowed from my sock drawer actually), pure black sneakers, and a zombie hunter t-shirt on, topped off with his currently hot pink Mohawk and black fingernails. Somehow he was making all of that work for him, despite Shawn's skepticism. He heard out Shawn's take on current high school boy fashion, and again with the smile on his face, he simply shrugged.

Earlier in the day I had snapped a picture of him wearing a Butterfly cape while walking through the mall. We had been coveting these for over a year from a favorite store, and on this day they just happened to be on sale. We both got one to add to our costume stash and walking race attire, but he felt no reason to wait on being that fabulous. I watched as he quickly put on the cape and walked through the mall as if there were nothing to see here. He turned heads and garnered quizzical looks, and just kept on walking, naturally fluttering his beautiful wings on the second floor of our local mall, as if everyone had them on. I hadn't even put mine on, and watching him in awe, I wondered why.

Chase hadn't always been this sure of himself, or this willing to go out on a limb and be different, but he is slaying it now. I try to model confidence, originality, and being comfortable in my own skin, but at his age I was not always this brave, unless in a group or with a friend. It makes me proud to see my kiddo excel in this area where myself at this age had still been struggling. As I have aged however, I've learned that being different, original, or unique is a gift, and have embraced my oddities like little badges of honor.

It is not that Chase never gets self-conscious, but rather that he values and gravitates toward originality and his true self. His core group of friends exemplify and reflect this in their diversity. He has friends from different cultures, different sexual orientations, varied shapes and sizes, and with different talents, interests and hobbies. All of the kids he hangs with I would consider unique and interesting. I look forward to watching them and my son continue to grow throughout high school and come into their own.

Today though, I may just put on those butterfly wings and take the dog for a walk. After all, why not!?