If you have followed my blog since I started it (which you probably haven’t) you will have heard this story before. It bears repeating though. :)
My quest for knowledge has always been there. When I was little, the birthday cut off for Kindergarten was December 1st- the day before mine. By the time I reached 3 1/2 my parents realized I was much different than they had anticipated and they thought I should be in school. Yes folks this was before 3K, 4K and all that other stuff. Back in my day there was only one Kindergarten. And you had to be 5 by the cut off date to attend. Feeling I was more than ready, mom called the school district and was told to bring me in, that they would test me. If I passed, I was in. Like the already lil nerd I was, I was SO excited to go in and test. I remember what I wore that day and I remember them handing me a sheet with a clown on it holding a bunch of balloons. While I don’t recall the tests, I do recall that each one I passed, they put a sticker on to fill in a balloon. All I needed was over half of them full. Proudly, I skipped out of there with all of them colored in. I was going to go to school!
Until the call came. The “If we make an exception for her, then someone comes in with Dec. 3rd & 4th, where do we draw the line?” call. I won’t lie, I totally cried my lil heart out.
Then, I woke up the next morning pissed and determined.
I grabbed all my lil Dr. Seuss books and sat down in front of Sesame Street and taught my geeky self how to read. On a mission, I had mastered all of the books within a couple of weeks and would read them over and over again.
If that alone was the only thing I got from him, that would mean the world. The independence he gave me to teach myself to read empowered me. It taught me that books were the key to knowledge. Not long later it taught me that they are also the key to survival when you need to escape from an unhealthy environment.
And what knowledge did my dear friend Seuss teach me a the ripe old age of 4? He taught me the foundations of who I am:
* Always be yourself:
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."
*Being a geek is good:
"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."
"There's no limit to how much you'll know, depending how far beyond zebra you go."
*Always stand up for what you believe:
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not."
"I know, up on top you are seeing great sights, but down here at the bottom we, too, should have rights."
*Life is tough, but have faith:
"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"
"You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left. “
*Keep an open mind:
"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!"
"If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good."
"You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut."
And so very, very much more.
He taught me to be creative. To make up words, characters, entire worlds. To be different. To not only use my imagination but to embrace it. That the world isn’t black and white, nor should it ever be. It should be colorful. It should be filled with amazing creatures all so different but living together peacefully. And if a Grinch pops up, show them some love.
So, happy, happy birthday Dr. Seuss. May your legacy forever live on.
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."
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