therapy

» norms

Her face scrunched up as the coffee ran across her tastebuds. She took in its bitter identity and tried to make sense of it, but as soon as she saw a group of her classmates walk by, she took a gulp and stifled her emotions.

"What are you doing?" I asked her, out of curiosity.

"I'm drinking coffee, duh." She retorted with a smug smile. I rolled my eyes and pointed at her face.

"Yeah, but with that look on your face? You really seem to be enjoying it."

"Definitely."

"Why are you drinking it if you don't like it?"

"Because look, everyone is doing it. They see me drinking coffee from their favorite but horribly lighted cafe and they go "wow, join us"."

"But that's stupid. You shouldn't force yourself to drink something you don't like just because everyone is doing it. If everyone started doing meth, would you? Because it's "cool" to have an increased heart rate and blood pressure, damaged blood vessels in the brain that can cause strokes or brain damage? Because it's cool to have dysfunctional noses and lung damage? This is the same case. Be you, this is what society wants to hide from you. I mean, think of it, if you saw someone enjoying who they are, loving the perfect body they have, and appreciating the wonderful gifts life gives us—all while smacking us in the face a couple of times—well? I would look at them in awe. Damn, they have their life together. Damn, they're happy. Damn, they are so unique. And if they can't respect you or invite you in because you're expressing the person you were born to be, then screw them. There are tons of people waiting to have a conversation with you. Even if they are across the world."

"Really?"

"Really. Now let's go get tea."