For All My Nonconformist Friends

"Here are a few characteristics of people who lead healthy, nonconformist lives: they speak their minds; they do a lot of experimenting; they say no to others occasionally in order to say yes to themselves; they are forever learning. Regardless of their age, such people live on the edge of new knowledge, new fields, and new discoveries. They spend time with people who encourage their nonconformity.

It is a rare gift to find people who are loyal and give you space to be yourself. But you learn to value them highly and to give them the same space they give you.l They are always creating something and often stay off the beaten path. They like to be with children and think less about people's opinions while being more spontaneous. They often have dynamic, interesting personalities, resisting conformity and developing some small eccentricities as part of their journey to independence and self-confidence."

-Lynn M. Griesemer

I don't really have much commentary on this quote here, it just really spoke to me. I like to know people that fit this description. These are the interesting people in the world. They aren't the crazy, off the wall people trying to make a stand and shouting at the world. They are the quiet people that are just doing their thing and making a difference in their own life and the lives of the people that take the time to get to know them. I'm not really a nonconformist (yet?!), but a lot of the qualities listed there are things I would like to become. I also don't think that just because you happen to agree with and do many of the main stream things in life that you are conforming to society's rules. But, then again, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe that's the conformist in me talking. And then again again, maybe there are different levels of nonconformists and/or different types of ways that you can be an nonconformist.