Back in high school, I did not fit any of the cliques. I was smart, but the smart kids at my school also happened to be the cool kids and I did not have the looks or the outgoing personality for that group. I definitely wasn't a jock - no athletic skill or coordination. I stayed out of trouble and had no 'clique-worthy' skills. I did play the clarinet, but I wasn't in marching band which defined that group.
I found myself in an eclectic group of left overs who also didn't fit elsewhere. Later in life I named us the misfits. In that group I found acceptance. We were all different and we appreciated those differences. Some were smart, some were musical, and most of us did not care about social status. We just wanted to be friends and hang out. I loved it.
Adults like to think we are more evolved than teenagers, but most of our social groups are still cliquish. Even in churches you can see the cool kids, the jocks, the leaders, and the trouble makers. Most of them are friendly, but I still don't fit there. I almost forgot to look for and embrace my misfits. They aren't the best dressed or the smartest or even the most involved, but they are kind and loving and accepting. Sometimes they are the outcasts. Sometimes they look like the folks Jesus hung out with and got criticized for. They are my peeps and I love them.
Happy to be a misfit! =)
PS - Further pondering - maybe we are all misfits hiding behind various masks looking for acceptance. I can't let those artificial walls define my friendships. There are kindred spirits all around.
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