Douglas Duncan, Pablo Picasso dancing in his studio, 1957.
Each of us has an oddity of some kind. It’s almost imperceptible among family, friends, or kind colleagues. But, for example, in an unfamiliar company, you can get a raised eyebrow at your “normal” remark or action. There are bound to be those in the world, in whose eyes you are an original, an oddball, and a weirdo. Well, that’s at best. And at worst, you’re a madman, an eccentric, and a freak. The less trust, intimacy and sympathy between you, the more your strangeness turns from cute singularity into a demonic trait.
Also, people usually don’t perceive you for who you are. You are to them like a hyperlink that, when clicked, launches a feature film about their own life. To you, it’s just your favorite coat, but to a person, it’s the color brown that makes them sick no one knows why. It’s amazing how differently passersby react to my dog, who doesn’t even notice them. One person’s gaze warms and a smile appears, while the other hysterically steps aside at the risk of getting hit by a car. The phenomenon is one, but the reactions are a spectrum.
So be sure that your strangeness is bound to confuse, disturb, or annoy other people. No one will admit it, but the reactions will give them away. And it is better to say goodbye to the idea to change yourself. The personality structure is like a skeleton — pump your muscles and get tattoos all you want, but the essence remains the same. It’s more practical to recognize your specificity, accept it wholeheartedly, and make it functional. The irony is that what made them raise their eyebrows yesterday will be what they will thank you for tomorrow. When people get stunning value from interacting with you, they will willingly forgive your eccentricity.
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
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