Wednesday 24 June 2009

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ODD~~~~

My friend Eve, has been having some trouble with her neighbours over parking. And the woman, who smeared cake all over her daughter's car, told Eve that she was odd..... personally I would have thought spreading cake over a car was a bit weird, but...

So I've just spent the most delightful two days with two of the oddest women I can call my friends.

The idea that people should think that any one of the three of us was odd, was we decided a real compliment.
We revelled in being odd, it seems such a natural place for us all to be. That is, just outside the norm, whatever that is.

So the three of us have parents from different countries to the other, as in I'm half Irish and half English, and the other two were much more exotic in their parents or grandparents countries of birth.

We are all extremely well traveled, and think nothing of driving 6 hours to visit someone else, and in two of our cases to stay with people we hadn't even met!

We all have different religious backgrounds and all choose not to belong to any formal religion, but to have developed our spiritual beliefs. And our belief in humans right to believe and be who they want, without us having the right to know better than the other what is right and wrong for them.

We as woman of a certain age are no longer being part of the pressure group that says we should dye our hair, we are going grey with pride.

We all dressed differently, and rather than feeling that each should be as the other celebrated the difference, which allowed me to be the girly I am in my frocks and pretty skirts. (And then to have the piss taken out of me with love and affection as a result!)

We were, despite coming from different countries, as in, I'm from England and therefore have different political parties, all of the same belief system, in believing in a democracy and a humans right to vote for what they believe in. As long as in so doing that vote didn't subgegate another being.

We, were able to allow each other to have whatever views we had, without threat to the other, and were happy to listen to each other espouse those views as a human right and were prepared to allow the other their take on whatever subject.

In all we, as three different people from different backgrounds with very different histories and life experiences were able to learn about each other, and work through any fear and uncertainity we may have had to the stranger in our midst.

We found that despite the things that were different, we had more bonds that were in common.

Humanity, sharing, love, joy these were thinks that made our own worlds rock and they made the three of us rock together.

Fear of the unknown, fear of the difference, fear for fears sake, they were not needed.

So if we three represent oddness in our diversity of ethnic make up and religious ideology, then I'm glad to be odd.

I do not want to be someone who chooses to fear another people because it doesn't conform to some narrow view of what is right and wrong in my view, because of race, or sexuality, disability or religious persuasion.

The world we live in right now is fighting for the right to have a democracy, as in Iran. Or to be rid of a group that denies it's people the right to an education, as in the Taliban. Or denies it's inhabitants to elect who they want, as in Burma.
Or denies it's inhabitants the right to drive , vote, teach, nurse because they served goal time regardless of the crime for the rest of their lives, as in America.

Where is the democracy in that?

We have to live together on this planet, it is the only one we've got. There is no fantastic space station some of us can escape to find new worlds in. This is it, and if people aren't allowed to live without fear, or to be allowed to vote, or to have their rights to their beliefs what does that say about the rest of us?

Being open minded doesn't mean that everyone else has to be like me,( otherwise everyone will be wearing pretty frocks.) It means I respect your right to be different from me. And I would like to learn more about you, as long as you are prpared to meet me half way.

Lets hear it for oddness!!!

32 comments:

Gin said...

Here's to being odd! I wouldn't want to be normal. That would be too boring!

Helen said...

Your friends sound like MY friends AND that's a very good thing!

Paula said...

Hmm, never called myself odd, however according to your description I am quite an odd one :-)
Just replied to your email and guess will have more to say next time. Have a splendid day. Over there you are 6hours younger. I know you are odd and dont care but I am odd enough to think this way ;-) very big hug.

trousers said...

Yep, here's to being odd: amen to all that you've said (especially for the affirmation of my right not to wear pretty flowery dresses).

Fire Byrd said...

And there was me thinking that a flowery dress would go so well with your walking boots dear trousers!!!
x

Fire Byrd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rosaria Williams said...

Hear, Hear! This is uplifting and modern. Those folks who live in narrow boundaries are making their own tombs prematurely.

angela recada said...

What a wonderful post! As the odd child of odd parents, and the odd parent of odd children, I'll choose odd over normal any day. Who decides what's normal, anyway? All of my friends are odd, too, and that's why they are my friends. Here's to individuality!

Dark Side said...

I like being odd and also having odd friends and blog friends, we are unique...

Merry ME said...

Odd gray haired women of the world unite! I think this is what it means to be a "crone" although I'm not exactly sure I am old enough to be a crone your odd woman gathering sounds like a place I want to visit. Wouldn't Alice be in luck if she fell down a hole and landed on Eve's front porch! I'm usually more self-conscious about being odd but today I embrace my oddity.

angela recada said...

I'm so glad you're bloody minded and still here, too!
Hugs,
Angela

Val said...

and in that roll call of troubled countries please lets not forget the total catastrophe that is zimbabwe today.....
on a lighter note define odd please - you guys sound great
xx

trousers said...

Only on Sundays, Fire Byrd (note we've only been out walking on Saturdays). Anyway - the affirmation of my right not to wear such apparel, is surely equal to my right to wear it should I wish :)

bARE-eYED sUN said...

what's so odd? it all sounds perfectly reasonable.

thank you for sharing a thoughtful post.

..
.ero

Ronjazz said...

May I tell you how much of a privilege it would be to meet three such women...and then, oh my God, to actually call them friends. It's astounding to think.

nitebyrd said...

Being odd is one of the best things to be! "Odd" people are the ones I love the best!

Here! Here! For being odd!

Mel said...

Well....we all know I'm an alien.

You lucky, lucky, lucky women!

Oh, what a joyful place, that porch....

*HUGE hugs to the three odd ones*
Bless each one of you for embracing all that you ARE.

(and I'm betting trousers is 'to die for' in frilly frocks on Sunday) ;-)

Lady in red said...

I can't say that I revel in being odd but that is only because I don't think of my self as odd just 'different'. As a teenager I had a favourite sweatshirt declaring that I was 'An Original'. We are all originals.

I don't think of you as odd either, to me you are just a friend who is an individual with a strong mind.

I vote for Trousers to wear a flower dress next time we all meet up.

karen said...

oh yes.. I do love the oddness factor! Glad you are enjoying your holiday x :)

Sorrow said...

Oh
This is so wonderful..
I am smiling from ear to ear.
I have this image of three women sitting around a bottle of Buchelay, and instead of the weird sisters we are the odd sisters..
~laughing~
your world, and your friend are the best and most delightfully odd places to be!
thank you for all the most wonderful gifts, the most treasured of all, is your love.

Lori ann said...

so glad to hear your enjoying your holiday, with great friends!

Cynthia Pittmann said...

I agree with you entirely about how we can be friends in acceptance and love...we all don't have to match in the particulars, Fire Byrd. Have a wonderful visit with your well traveled friends. <3

Chris Ford said...

I don't think anyone is odd. I take everyone as subtle types of normal.x

darth sardonic said...

i enjoy (as you might guess) being a bit odd. i love it when people who seem to be completely bat-shit crazy refer to me as "looney" lol

justme said...

odd is definately the way to be. Who wants to be boring and 'normal'?
You and your friends sound lovely. x

Anonymous said...

How exciting is the muttered phrase "How odd!". Makes you want to know more!

Unknown said...

Brilliant, brilliant post! I'm all with you on being odd - in fact, I've been odd for as long as I can remember. So, can I join your group of odd, please?! xxx

Cynthia Pittmann said...

Hi Fire Byrd, I came back to let you know that I gave you an award. Come over to Oasis Writing Link to check it out... or just come over and read my post. I love your insightful comments. <3

Fire Byrd said...

Oh lets here it for all us odd people.... I think it must be cause we blog that allows us to nurture our oddness...... we do not seem to conform to people around us, which is probably why we all connect here.
A safe place to explore ourselves, to talk about our emotions in a way that may not be possible in our everyday place.
Aren't we all so lucky to have each other?
I know I am.
So huge enveloping hugs all round.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Picsie Chick said...

Thank you, Odd One. I love being called Odd, and love knowing other Odds.

You're wonderful in so many ways!

Hugs and butterflies,
~Teresa~

Cheryl Cato said...

Oh yes, I think I'm odd as well. I made several comments at Circling My Head today about the one thing I think is lacking in the U.S. and that is tolerance. Renee wrote about her love for Canada as it is Canada Day today.
One thing I didn't quite understand (and I read it several times) is this part of your post... "Or denies it's inhabitants the right to drive , vote, teach, nurse because they served goal time regardless of the crime for the rest of their lives, as in America." ... served goal time regardless of the crime??? Please clarify.

Walker said...

Odd or unique?
We are all one big fruit salad with different flavors what taste great together