The Girl in a Box

A man once told me that he wanted nothing more than to live the life of a square. He wanted to dress like a square, talk like a square, think like a square and live the average life of a square. He spent the majority of his life in prison for a crime that he did not commit, and over the course of his years in prison, he discovered that he wanted to be the man in the button down shirt with the cookie cutter wife and three perfect children. That was his dream, to be an average Joe. His desire for an average life reflected what made him (or would make him) happy. We all have this shared longing; to be happy. Whether we achieve this ultimate goal of happiness through material means or otherwise, we all strive to be happy. And, in a sense, don’t we all share a little part of this man? There is a certain peace that comes with routine and the comfort that it brings to us.

On a search for answers, we aspire to know the truth, however we will only challenge ourselves within certain boundaries for fear that we might discover something that is beyond our capabilities. This is also something that we all share; the struggle to move past restrictions that we inflict upon ourselves in order to maintain our self-image. So, back to our friend the square. When we believe that the only way to find happiness is by living within the lines, we are missing the whole world out there; a world of struggle and fear, of beauty and serenity, a world that knows no limits and celebrates diversity.

From a young age I was told to follow my heart, wherever it may lead me, and break outside of tradition. However, in a world full of squares, this can be very difficult to do. Some say that even a thought, the most personal and unique quality that we have, is only a mirror image of books, videos and life experiences. How disappointing is that? That is one of the main issues that I struggle with as an individual, trying to find something that sets me apart from the rest, in a way that makes me distinct, yet respected. It makes me wonder how innovative thinkers, and inventors thought before me. I believe that at this point it is all a matter of interpretation. If we are able to understand human interactions and the success of our development, then we have a shot at creating something different in the future. It takes a collaborative effort on the part of scientists, artists, theorists, and other intellects, to create something new. No wonder history continues to repeat itself, for there is only so far that you can stretch yourself until the rubber band snaps back. While it is true that people may see the world in a new light every generation, we are still facing the same battles of war, famine, and equality, and chances are we will continue to do so until something breaks the cycle.

But it’s the people who give me hope. If called to make a change, they will respond. Through social movements, nonprofit organizations, international missions, development and relief work we see it time and time again; those people willing to come together for a common good. This gives me reason to believe that there are those willing to go beyond the boundaries, to fight by all means necessary to create community. Because, in reality, no man can fight alone. Even if the army is only standing in the background cheering him on, everyone needs support. This leads us back to happiness. Not only does everyone need support in order to succeed, everyone needs to find their own source of happiness. It may be as simple as serving others or taking the time to journal and reflect your
thoughts; it may be traveling or finding a quiet place to sit and think, but whatever the case may be it is important to find that peace.

We all want the next hottest item, to look like him or to dress like her, but what if we all decided to break outside of the box…Write in the margins. Highlight in a library book. Wear your shirt backwards. Talk in an accent. Pull the fire alarm.  Ski outside of the caution tape. Eat a foreign food. Try laughing when you cry. Go where every other man refuses to go, to a place where it is ok to push yourself beyond expectations and standards, because chances are you’ll be amazed at what you find.