ImPerceptibility

Posts Tagged ‘soup cans’

“In middle school they label you like a soup can.”

That’s what my older daughter told me when we were driving to the store. I waited for her to continue and in a few minutes she did.

“T. says I could be a prep because I am tall, thin, and pretty. I’d have to make my hair blonde though.”

“We could pick up some hair color at the store.” I said. My heart was hoping she would say no. Just in case, I prepared my speech.

“I don’t want to have blonde hair. Maybe some highlights.”

I breathed a little easier.

“Preps don’t like to get dirty. I do.”

I recalled the many loads of grass stained jeans and muddy sneakers I have washed over the past 10 and a half years.

“I could be a tomboy” She told me. “Or an athlete. I like sports.”

She went on to tell me about all the labels she could be. I listened but my heart felt heavy. I didn’t want her to label herself. I didn’t want anyone else to do it either.

“So, have you figured out what you are?” I asked after a few minutes.

“I’m a homeschooler, I guess.”

I was a bit apprehensive when I asked her about the homeschooler label.

“It means I can be anything I want.”

My heart was no longer heavy. I hoped she would feel that way for the rest of her life.

I parked the car and told her to take her preppy, brainy, athletic, goth tomboy rear-end over to get a cart. I had a big smile on my face. Until the youngest chimed in.

“I want to color my hair purple!”