Maybe being different isn’t so bad after all

An ode to those who feel different in society

Inspired by the character of Elphaba Thropp in Wicked and the Ozdust ball scene between Glinda and Elphaba.

I always knew I was different from the others from a young age really.

Awkwardly standing tall in the line at school. Getting sniggers and sneers from bullies who I thought were my friends. I always knew I was awkwardly out place in front of those picture perfect girls.

I watched as those girls walked by me in the corridor, pretty and pristine like Barbie dolls. Wondering when was my time? With my glasses, braces and a huge pile of books in my hand.

I never knew that difference turned out to be my superpower, until you came along.

I locked eyes with you in the hallway and you gave me a friendly smile in response. An open invitation to friendship to me. I remember looking around me and thinking ‘was she really smiling at me?’

We began sitting together at lunch and break times. Laughing away about school woes and what the future would bring. You didn’t mind that I was awkward or out of place. When I asked you if I was, you’d always laugh and say ‘they’re laughing at you because they know how powerful you’d be if you realised your own power.’

You made me feel as if I fit into the jigsaw of society perfectly without changing a thing about myself. I never needed to really, being different was powerful in ways I couldn’t imagine.

You slowly matched my rhythm and started dancing along with me. You embraced my weirdness and helped me accept it but loudly and proudly.

You knew you’d get sniggers and sneaky dirty looks from the crowd too but you didn’t care. You were friends with the ‘awkward girl’ but you didn’t care for that label. You cared about me and how I felt within all of this.

You made me realise this difference was my superpower. I was never awkward or out place, I was just simply surrounding myself in the wrong crowd who were dancing to a completely different rhythm to me.

You marched to the beat of my drum and made me realise…maybe being different isn’t so bad after all.

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Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. This short but sweet piece is dedicated to every single one of you. I’ve felt like an Elphaba my whole life really, but you guys are my Glindas. Thank you for helping me accept my silliness and weirdness and making me realise it’s been my superpower all along.

Lots of love and hugs,

Halima <3