This morning i woke up to find our child, Simon the Shih Tzu, like this:
 

 
The bottom half of his body was underneath the bed frame and his top half was neatly folded underneath our bed pillow. i immediately thought two things:
 
1. It must have been REALLY hard and taken A LOT of work to get into that position. It doesn’t look like it came easy. But he was obviously determined to find his ultimate sweet sleep spot and he did.
 
2. What a weirdo.
 
i often look at him and reflect on the idea that humans and their four legged non-human friends mirror each other. But that’s never really been the case with Simon and i. In fact, he and my partner resemble each other in pretty much every single way. It’s almost like i got him for her – and he couldn’t agree more. They look like each other and have the same mannerisms, thoughts on sleep – and being woken up (before they are ready) to play. i have no idea where or how i fit in.
 
Until this morning.
 
Simon is an oddball. He’s super quirky and totally random. He’ll prop himself in a corner facing the wall and just stare, he’ll lay at the very top of the stairs with his head hanging over so he can be in the mix of things happening downstairs without really having to be in it, or he’ll lay on his back with the top half of his body on his bed and the other half dangling off of it.
 
And he totally could give two shits about me playfully poking fun at him, Simon why are you so weird? What are you doing? You are so crazy. WHO DOES THAT?
 
And you know what? Neither do i.
 
After 37 years, i have finally figured out what this non-human fuzzball instinctively knows – be who are you, embrace and love your oddball and randomness, and keep doing you – even when the outside world doesn’t understand and questions you at every turn (and might lovingly throw tiny wads of paper at you just too see if they can disturb your flow).
 
i have always been an oddball and lived life on the fringes. My art has been anything but normal. i’m random at times. And i totally think – actually i know – i’m weird. Self acceptance and self love for an oddball isn’t an easy trek. Unlike Simon, i wasn’t born instinctively not giving fucks, i had to learn it. But i did and i’m all the better, more whole, and entirely me for it.
 
And luckily and universally i, just like Simon, found someone who loves me exactly as i am weirdness, quirks, obsessions and all (and who totally has oddball tendencies herself) – and that kind of authentic raw love has made all the difference in the world.
 
BUT!!!!!
 
i know i wouldn’t have found her or been open to her if i didn’t learn to love, honor, and fully accept my oddball and randomness FIRST. It took 31 years, but i finally got there.
 
i know you can too ♥.
 
Love, light + honoring the oddball in you,

 
P.S. Simon (and i) have lots more to say and share. To make sure you never miss an oddball minute, sign-up for my missives – bi-monthly emails chock full of my best stories and advice – delivered straight to your inbox. Sign-up here.