Many Circles

I've had several reminders lately about just how many places I have touched on, and how many things I've done.

Apparently, I happen to have done way more interesting things than the vast majority of people.

It's always so weird to me when others only have a couple of interests, or a single circle of people they see.  To bottleneck themselves into a small segment of the world.

Then they see how I know people in all corners of the world, and at all different things.  They welcome me happily, rather than simply short meetings.  That I share stories and time with all these people, and have done things with all of them.  Having built connections on various levels.

And then I talk to people who have more mundane lives.  The standard vanilla day to day, content with that and not much else.  I talk about the things I've done like they're nothing special.

Scaring people by chasing them with a chainsaw at a haunted house.

Doing escapism for a freak show.

Dancing with, and letting my body hold fire.

Teaching and performing various forms of middle eastern dance.

And a myriad of other fun and interesting things.

They are simply parts of my past, things that have helped make me into me, like everything else.

And yet people are astounded and amazed that people like me exist.

And I'm reminded in those moments, how far from the standard I am.  How I'm well outside the box, and beyond the comfort zone of most.

But those reminders make me happy.

Someone needs to have the desire to be weird, and someone needs to explore as much as they can.  And I'm excited to keep being that person.