I distinctly remember telling myself, "It doesn't matter what other people think about you."
But fifteen minutes into my first day of middle school, the teacher was taking attendance, and when the name Joel Hansen was read off, three boys in the back laughed, like my name was a joke. Thinking quickly, I told the teacher my name was J.D. (short for Joel David).
This is the beginning of a string of chameleon-like changes in my life. As I look back to my middle school and high school years, I see many costumes I wore for short periods of time. Ever year or two I changed my clothing style, my friend group, my way of talking and the music I listened to. It seems to me that I just got really god at paying attention to what was acceptable, and fitting in to that mold (even if it was the mold of a star wars geek, punk rocker, roller hockey fanatic, etc.).
I am so good at looking around at how I am supposed to talk and act and dress and even think, and then copying it.
I bet you’re pretty good at it too.
