#YouKnowItsColdWhen

Of course everyone loves to talk about the weather. So there I was the other day, minding my own business as I grabbed a few groceries from the store. It was a chilly morning, thus I had seized a hat as I had rushed out the door. However, by the time I finished my walk there, I was regretting that choice. The weather was much balmier than I had thought. But because I didn’t want to take it off and sport hat-head, I was still wearing it. One of the employees spotted me with the hat and he gives me a grin. And then yells to everyone in the store, “We’re all going to die! Miss Wyoming’s wearing a hat!” Ugh. Not the way to win friends and influence people. Yup, now I was the punch line of one of those “It’s soo cold…” jokes. Great, just great. Laughing it off, I just waved to everyone who had turned to stare at me. Yes, remind me never to wear a hat again no matter how far below zero it may get. Like that’s ever going to happen, I live in the deep south. Home of ‘It’s 50 degrees thus the snow’s going start fallin' soon.’ More importantly, it drove home the point that I’m never going to be viewed as just one of the people from the neighborhood. Nope, nothing I can do will change the fact that I’m from somewhere else. Oh for the chance to be a chameleon, to be able to blend into any environment seamlessly. Yet, individuality can be such a blessing. Being unique gives me a chance to talk to people I normally wouldn’t. Thus, the employee who knows I's from a northern state. He’d asked me one day where I was from because I distinctly don’t sound Southern. Okay, okay, he got the state wrong in his pronouncement to the world. But, hey, he remembered the general area. So, I guess I just need to embrace who I am and who I am not. And if that means I end up being the punch line for a few jokes, well so be it. After all I can't change who I am and if I can't love myself warts and all then who else is going to?