| wanna play shadow? 03.05.03 |
| For those who know me well, you know that I don't like being accused of copying or following after anyone. This is difficult being the youngest in the family, where everyone is expected to do everything first, and as the baby, you just follow along. Is anything that you do originally your idea anymore? I'll give you a rundown of what I'm talking about: -High school: I was one year behind my sister, so our paths tended to cross on campus. People would ask me, "Are you going to do leadership things like your sister?" (No.) "Are you going to play tennis like your sister?" (Okay, I did, but only because the coach encouraged me to do it.) "Are you going to play in the jazz band and play piano for the graduation like your sister?" (No. Her piano talents certainly didn't get passed to me.) "Are you going to work at the student store like your sister?" (Why even ask?) I did my own things, but I doubt people ever asked my sister if she liked to dance "just like your sister." -Hiking: When I was in high school, I went camping and hiking with my friends' families. The first time I went to Yosemite was with friends and not even my own family, and I was the first in my family to go up to Vernal Falls. That is not a huge accomplishment, but I'm just pointing out that I was not following anyone's footsteps to get there. I enjoy the outdoors and I love hiking...and in the past few years, my parents have been going hiking more and, specifically, my dad has accomplished some major feats, such as summitting Half Dome on numerous occasions and trekking in Nepal. Do my hiking accomplishments compare to his? No sirree. But am I into hiking as an influence from my dad? No. -Traveling: When I was going through the journalism program at SFSU, I knew I wanted to be a travel writer. I had traveled without my parents several times and the travel bug had bit early on. When I landed a job with a travel publication, I traveled to numerous states. I have no fears of traveling alone, and I am open to going anywhere. I guess that's a little-known fact because after my dad went to Nepal and my parents began taking little side trips here and there, my desire to travel suddenly became something that I had "gotten from my parents." Hobbies: In this area, we're all pretty different, but as we get older and are doing more things, it doesn't surprise me that our interests are overlapping. About a year and half ago, I was getting up early before work to run a few miles. No one ever asked me where I "got that from." But now that Na is training for a marathon and running many miles regularly, people are now asking me, "Are you going to start running like your sister?" (ARGH.) If my parents or Na decided to pick up martial arts, I bet you that no one will ask them, "Did you get that from Mel?" The point, really, is not who did what first. I'm just trying to make it clear that the interest doesn't have to come from anywhere else. I wouldn't say that my parents like to travel because of me. I think they have always been open to it, but haven't had the opportunity to it with two daughters to raise. I wouldn't say that Na liked to run because of me, nor would I ever pick up running because of her. I'm just ranting because I'm tired of people assuming that I've finally come along and picked up things in the shadow of my older family members. My interests are so remotely different from my family members' (such as capoeira, journalism, criminology, languages, etc.) that I can't attribute them to things that my family has supposedly passed on to me. It is just a part of me; but if it were to become a part of someone else, I'm sure I would once again be a follower. If people tell me that I have artistic genes from my dad or musical abilities from my mom (neither of which I feel I could boast about), I'd be honored. Those are things that have always been evident in their lives, so if it becomes a part of mine, the influence is obvious. Anyway, individuality is something that is so precious. Getting things from our family members is great, too, but to me, I can't help but really want to be seen as my own person. Fortunately, my family has always been supportive of all I have wanted to do, no matter how different they may be. But, one day, I will no longer be seen as the youngest Lee, following in the footsteps of her older sister or her parents. I will be blazing my own trail. |
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