The Road to Acceptance

Even before pre-school authority figures say to be yourself. But as the years pass, acceptance becomes more and more like being like everyone else.
The little first grader can’t join the game at recess because she doesn’t have mittens like everyone else.
The sixth grader doesn’t fit in because he’s still into the same music that was popular in fifth grade.
The ninth grader is left out because she didn’t go to the same grade school as everyone else.
From an early age kids are forced to adjust so they can fit in. How is this “being yourself”?
But the real question is this- what is better: being yourself or fitting in?
Everyone wants to have friends (no one wants to be lonely) and parents strive for their children to have friends.
But these are also the same figures that force and persuade their kids to do what all the other kids are doing- soccer, cheerleading, football, dance, and whatever else. And “no” usually doesn’t work. They are not going to give up that easy.
How is this being and individual?
Yet, parents are also the same ones that say, “Well if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?”
Then when the answer is yes, they get upset.
How does that work?
Is life just one long road to acceptance filled with the pressure to be and individual and fit in at the same time?
So why not make a new game at recess, listen to the music that isn’t popular, or find a group in which grade schools aren’t important?
Join band instead of football (if playing football isn’t appealing) or chess club instead of cheerleading.
Jump off the bridge because it would be fun, not because everyone else is doing it.
Be yourself no matter what anyone says or does.