Settling In

 I was all set to write some pitiful diatribe about how cold I am and complain about the time of sunset here. Instead, I opened Facebook and was greeted with the sad news of Alan Rickman’s death. Jareth, The Goblin King and The Sheriff of Nottingham in the same week?

I am not going to pretend I knew these men in real life. I am not going to be one of those people who acts like I suffered a loss anywhere near as horrible as their family and friends. I just want to share how my life was influenced by these artists. If we are being honest, all the kids of my generation benefitted from their presence.

I was raised to be unapologetically myself. I wore what I wanted and I never had to wonder whether or not my family found me charming and funny. Let’s be honest, they were frequently wondering where they went wrong, why I was so weird, and whether or not I would ever outgrow my radical ideas. No worries. I grew up eventually. The point is, they loved me and supported me no matter what strange idea I had.

What does this have to do with all of these characters? Well, they set the stage for people to be embraced for their individuality. I like to pretend people like my quirky personality. I like to pretend it all makes sense on some really deep level. Whatever, I just like what I like.