April 2, 2001
Somehow the other day I started
thinking about the relationship that size plays into our experience.
I was thinking about little things that pack a big punch. Think
Freddie Mecury's voice. Our kids are quite fond of "Queen"
and I always refer to Freddy as the little man with the big voice.
Think Tic Tacs. All that mint in such a small pellet. Think Saffron,
the tiny little thread that will transform an entire pot of white
rice to that intense golden color. It was a little more difficult
to think of size going the other way. You know, like large things
that pack a small punch. I came up with Cotton Candy. It appears
so big but isn't really once you mash it down. Maybe Silly String
too. I couldn't come up with many good examples. I guess I don't
have enough things to occupy this mind lately. It's always fun
to talk about these kinds of things with my kids. It keeps them
occupied while I am driving. And they each have such a unique
perspective.
Speaking of size, none of my kids are particulary tall for their age. They're not exactly short either. I've always been right in the middle and my husband is of average height as well although he didn't get his growth spurt until after he graduated. Having an October birthday didn't work in his favor in the height department as he was almost one year younger than most of his classmates. He has confessed that he was always one of the shorter boys in his class. But that didn't stop him from ferocious athletic competition. Nor does it stop my boy.
He's the golden haired kid with the picky eating habits who can throw any type of sporting object into any type of receptacle be it a basketball, dart, football or frisbee with great success. He can bat a ball as well as catch one. He's always one of the first kids recruited for Dodge Ball. He's up for a challenge against anyone. Of course he fits right in the fourth grade jock click.
One of his best buddies is the tallest kid in the class who so happens to be the Basketball King. My son went over to his house one day and they were involved in a highly competive Basketball match in the back yard when I arrived to pick up my son. They were neck to neck their scores separated only by one basket! It was a riot to watch due to the fact that my boy has to put his whole torso into the act of hoisting that ball up to the hoop. But what he loses in time he makes up in accuracy. I still don't know how he is able to do it . Anyway, as fate would have it, he shot the winning hoop in the nick of time to his buddie's utter angst! His friend begged me to let the game contnue but we really had to go.
Later that night at the dinner table, my son was boasting of his triumph. He told us that his friend was quite impressed with his Basketball skills and that it made him laugh when his friend said in a really silly voice, "Nooooooooo, i'm not gonna let a short man brag!!!" I couldn't help being caught off guard by this comment. First I asked if it was from a movie or something. I thought it was hilarious. What on earth would be wrong with a short man bragging? Is it for some unknown reason worse than a tall man bragging? Oh the things kids say! I am glad that my son was able to see the humor in the comment and not become offended. I am sure his tall friend has had uncomfortable moments due to his height. You know, the only kid too tall to go in the ball pit at McDonald's. That kind of stuff.
Anyway, back to the height issue, my daughter's Gymnastic coach
isn't the tallest guy around. He uses it to his advantage and
is very skilled at what he does. When my coach told my class that
he would be coaching our class while she was out of town one of
my classmates said,"Oh the little guy? How tall is he anyway?"
Our coach blithely answered that he was 5'5''. Does it really
matter? Does it have anything to do with his coaching abilities?
Why even ask? Because we're curious that's why. It amuses me how
we place these descriptive labels on the people we're surrounded
by. Tall, short, fat, thin, dark, light, freckled, etc. We have
to describe people somehow. In hopes of being perceived in a positive
light people get their noses done, change the color of their hair,
go to tanning salons, wear make up, you know what I mean. Why
are we so afraid of looking different? I think it goes back to
a fear of rejection. But if we didn't have that fear and instead
embraced our uniqueness, perhaps we would all enjoy life a bit
more. I think we should all go with it instead of constantly trying
to change ourselves so that we don't veer too far out of the norm.
What is wrong with being noticed?
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On Size Doesn't Matter:
Your subject matter today brings to mind the current story
about the little
girl who's Mother is suing a ballet co. for rejecting her daughter
on the
grounds that she (the daughter) isn't of the "normal"ballerina-build;
even
tho' she was a good and skilled dancer, she was rejected.I say
let's do a
major backlash against size-ism and embrace and encourage our
sons and
daughters to persue their heart's desires whatever height or girth
they
possess.
Being an especially tall gal, I have always loved my size. I shudder
to see
tall girls slouching because they are ashamed of their size.Not
only petite
females are of value!And the reverse for guys; our son ended up
at
6feet6inches, didn't play basketball(he didn't have a competitive
hair on
his head!),while I was guilty of disappointment over the fact
that our
daughter didn't reach my height.
There is enough stress in the world, without assumptions based
on
appearance. Let's raise up compassionate loving kids Who don't
judge the
book by the cover. And love our children for who they are, not
because they
are beautiful, and therefore more deserving of love.
I will guess the average height of the male(in the USA?) to
be
5feet,9inches.I also think average dress-size for average US women
is about
size14.
Yogi yeri
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