Author's Note: This article is very similar to ocean10kv's article last week entitled "The Tower". Thank you for letting me tell my point of view of being unusually small.
"Oh my gosh, you are SO cute!" "Do you want a kid's menu?" "Are you sure you're in the right school?"
These are the familiar phrases I always hear from teachers, friends, strangers, and even family members. I'm a young teen who is about 4'6" or so. I'm the shortest in my school, besides the other kid who I always try to be taller since he's short too.
Like, ocean10kv, I remember comparing heights in kindergarten. We would all line up and stand on our tippy-toes because we wanted to be the tallest kid, not just a tall kid. For me, I was still always last, but at that time it really didn't occur to me I was so small. I mean I could get away with free ice creams and even go to toddler events if I wanted to, so why would I be upset?
However, as we reached third and fourth grade when everyone began to tower over me, I then started to be called names like midget, shrimp, shortie. They weren't even that bad, but every once in awhile someone would put one of those names in a vulgar sentence which would upset me. New kids at school wouldn't talk to me, I couldn't join in most sports after school, and I was awful at gym class.
Now a days, I just laugh along with the jokes because I actually have learned to love my height. Although sometimes someone says something and it still gets deep into my soul, I just shrug it off. Being short is to MY advantage, I can wear heels, I'm able to be a flyer on my cheerleading squads, and everyone has to bow down to me to talk.
Don't think being short is all it's cracked up to be, though. I get the everyday snickers by kids when I walk pass the hall, the ignorant guys who mimic my squeaky voice, and even the embarrassment of getting picked last when we play any type of game in gym. I can never find cool, new clothes unless I go to a kids store and it hurts. I don't really try in gym because I'm always afraid I'll get yelled at by my teammates. In school, I fret about having to go to the upper grade hallway because I get trampled on. It's not easy at all.
If you are short, don't cry. Embrace yourself and love yourself because you are unique. You have talents, you are beautiful in your own special ways, and you have the power to become anything and everything you want to be. When you hear the disgusting remarks, just laugh at them because you never know how bad that person has it. A couple more inches might do me some good, but right now I am happy where I'm at.
This is Cohenlm saying, "The grass isn't always greener on the other side."
