“I feel sorry for anyone who is in a place where he feels strange and stupid.”~ Lois Lowry
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| Photo taken from her Goodreads Profile |
I decided to pull this quote because I am super excited for The Giver movie adaptation to release. I know it's not for another few weeks, but I can't help it. I read this book twice as a teen. The first time is because all my friends were reading it for an English assignment and loved it. I didn't have that teacher, so I picked it up. The second time was "official" for an instructor when we were covering a "government control" theme of novels that included The Giver, A Brave New World, and Anthem.
I remember being captured by Jonas. It's probably because I was around the same age and Lowry truly grasped the emotions of a teenage character. I was enchanted by the world and the moral dilemmas without feeling preached at. It was a story above all else, although I was probably too young to truly grasp Lowry's intention.
Beyond the book, this quote stood out to me last week. I think it is because I have always felt like an outcast. I grew up wanting to spend my free time writing novels. I was definitely not the norm as far as my teenage peers were concerned. Even as an adult, I feel a little strange in this world. But, I have been in places where I not only feel strange (which I have come to relish in) but also stupid. That is a dark place.
The world can be cruel, especially for people who buck the status quo. It took me a long time to accept my differences and to proclaim from the rooftops that I am a better person for them. I am smart, I am talented, and I am comfortable in my own skin. No one can take that away from me. It's hard to hold onto sometimes, but we should all keep that in our hearts and let no one take it away.
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