Cover Photo by Fausto García on Unsplash
But Make Sure One Person Understands You
I don’t live a conventional life by any means.
I’ve been with my wife for almost 14 years and we’ve been married for 6. It took us 7 years, 7 months and 7 days to get married. We got married after hopping on a helicopter in Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon with two friends.
We had decided on that option two months earlier, but got our rings the week before in San Francisco and we found our tux and gown two days before the wedding.
I don’t know how she agreed to that, but it makes for a good story.
We’ve been together for that long, yet we don’t have children or don’t own property. Or not anymore at least (the property part). We had bought a brand-new condominium in downtown Montreal when we were 21 and 23, which we sold for good profit a year after. We were still students at the time.
I did over 12 different jobs, starting when I was 8 years old. I’m a terrible employee. It’s not that my work ethics are bad, it’s just that I’m more of an entrepreneur. In fact, I’ve launched 5 companies, most of which “failed”.
Three years ago, my wife and I left to travel the world for a year. We both left our really nice job and gave all our belongings away. When we came back to Toronto after, we couldn’t stand having a “regular” life, so we left again a year later.
Audrey went to work for Doctors Without Borders and I switched to having a nomadic lifestyle.
Any of the above sounds normal to you?
And I’m not saying it’s good or bad. It’s just different.
But if you tried to be different yourself, I’m sure you’ve noticed how society has a way to cast away people who are different.
People have a hard time getting it when you’re different.
They judge. The reprimand. They lecture you.
They can’t accept that you’ve chosen a path that’s different than theirs.
And that last part is what gets me the most:
Why can’t people accept that we’re not all the same?
Being Understood
Two evenings ago, Audrey and I went to dinner with her aunt, Hope.
We always love chatting her. Every time we chat with her, we feel so uplifted. She lives in a very different context than we do. She lives a more traditional way of life, yet she gets us.
She’s always happy for us. She shows interest and gives the right input on everything we say. She’s incredibly wise.
A lot of our family doesn’t get our lifestyle.
“No kids, no home, no stable job at your age? There’s something terribly wrong with you!”
But that’s not how Hope thinks.
She doesn’t have kids herself, but she’s got a home and a stable job. It doesn’t stop her from understanding us. She knows not everyone is the same.
She is one of the rare ones who truly understands us.
Conclusion
You see, it’s okay not to be understood by everyone, but you need at least one person who truly understands you.
The feeling you get when someone listens to you and understands you is so uplifting.
It gives you the courage to keep going. To work towards the change you want to make in life.
It gives you the power to accomplish your wildest dreams and aim higher.
It makes it okay to be different.
Are you different?
Who truly understands you?
Have you told them? Have you thanked them for it?
Who do you show your support to?
Being truly understood is important for anyone’s sanity and development. Think about that concept, and show support to the people you care about.
You can do this!
Thanks for reading! :)