Well, My Mom Says …

Being Special

Believe it or not, being special is independent of who you’re around. As a child, I used comparisons to help me understand, but the truth is that we were created uniquely. Someone created me? Handcrafted me? I’m equipped like no one else? No one else has the same combination of attributes and traits? Yep, your hair, height, voice, fingerprints, DNA … they are all yours. It’s true—you’re kind of a big deal.

Why is this important? Because being special is where it all begins.

I started with “You are special” because as I’ve encountered people throughout life, I’ve gotten a similar response when I asked why they weren’t living their dreams. It went something like “Well, who am I to want so much?” You are special is enough. Before you go on to the next chapter, you must internalize it. No one else was given the same dreams and the same set of challenges. No one is just a number. No one is simply a statistic.

Wherever you may find yourself as you read this chapter, you took a unique path to get there. Your past, your present, and your future are all unique. As a kid, I moved around a lot. By the time I got to third grade, I had been to over four different schools in two states. The more I thought about it, the more I realized no one else had that experience. Only I had done that.

Take a moment to think about how you got to where you are now. Look around. Think about where you started the day. Think about the route you took in the car. Was anyone else there with you the entire time? Even in the bathroom and the shower? No one has had your exact walk. Back to my story. I was a third grader that got the concept of being special. So what? It helped me move forward. I became an individual once I accepted I was special. I started to think for myself and didn’t form my thoughts based on those of others’. I allowed myself to dream my dreams. I didn’t look for approval from anyone else, because they weren’t me. It also helped me to see that everyone is unique; I learned to appreciate diversity.

I know these are a lot of lessons from one simple statement, but this had a profound effect on my life. It was my first major lesson, one that backed up every other lesson in my life.

Along with being special, each one of us has been given a special dream—a dream that’s unique to us and that we’re uniquely equipped to accomplish. In the same line of thought, if you understand you are special, you must understand that no one else can do what you do, like you do it.

By giving me the understanding that I was special, my mother also allowed me to let my brain form my own dreams and visions. Once you understand that your thought processes are unique, let your brain fly. Let your thoughts go. You can do what you want. Your vision is yours, and the world is yours. Take it and run with it. Now, this isn’t just a ticket to dream; it’s an understanding that you must follow these goals and aspirations. It’s your responsibility to the world and our Creator to do this work. Lastly, you owe it to yourself to be you and to do you.