Why do we want so desperately to be special?

Some of us want to be special in a big way – as in famous, or infamous, or to make a big impact in the world.

Some of us just want to be special to those people who are special to us.

Some of us – maybe most of us – are somewhere in the middle.

It seems to me that it’s a pretty basic part of the human experience – to want to matter, and to have people or things that matter to us. That’s not terribly insightful, I know.

What is insightful, I think, is how much power we have to positively influence the lives of others, by letting them be special.

When we put out the effort, we can make it possible for someone else to feel special, appreciated, recognized, seen. It can make all the difference in one person’s life, especially if they haven’t felt very appreciated before.

Sometimes we find comfort in NOT being special, in not being alone or unique, in knowing that others have gone through what we are going through and made it.

But other times, we really do want to stand out from the crowd, to make a difference, to matter.

It’s important to know when being special matters, I guess.

Like someone special once said to me: “Hey snowflake! You are special and unique. Just like everyone else.”

In the meantime, remember these things: You are loved. We are all loved. Let’s all be kind. And in all things – progress, not perfection!

Love, and light in the shadows,

Maggie