I am on a quest for knowledge… to find out who I am and why I do the things I do (or don’t do the things I don’t do). I feel like Leela (Futurama) on a quest to find her own people… when she finally meets them, she goes through a bunch of emotion, and ends up so happy that she finally understands who she is and where she came from! She doesn’t use her genetics as a crutch, but as a unique marker that helps define her as a unique and amazing person! She’s still a smokin’ hot space ship captain, and she still has bouts of loneliness and bitterness, but she’s mostly a confident, strong, and amazing individual… and everyone loves her!
I relate to Leela a lot in this way. I am confident, optimistic, strong, well-liked, and pretty great to spend time with; and, like her, I have a very different upbringing than I could have… considering what I now know about myself. I turned out really well. I worked very hard to be as “normal” as I could be, and I struggled to keep up with people around me that I liked and wanted to travel through life with. It wasn’t easy, but I came out pretty well. I’m social, I’m friendly, I’m confident, and I’m able to be a great speaker and teacher!
Why do I label myself then… well, picture a box of amazing looking brownies. These are the best brownies ever, but in order to enjoy them, you have to follow the directions. If the box didn’t have directions, you could totally screw up the recipe and end up with a sub-par treat. If the box has clear instructions, you could end up with the most incredible treat ever!!!! It’s pretty simple when you know what you are doing!
I am okay with labels, because they tell you what’s in the box and how to handle / create the best from it! I am in the process of learning what’s in my box; and once I do, I will be writing the instructions that will give a close friend or future partner the best chance at having the most amazing relationship ever with me! I’m only looking at the positives here, and I think that’s a good thing.