You know you are short when................ ?
Answer: when everyone thinks you are short, including other short people!
Believe it or not...there was a time i used to be tall. I think in grade 7&8, i was taller than most boys in my class- all the girls were anyways then BAAM! one day i just stopped growing and everyone else grew more and more. One friend of mine uses this story to poke fun at me till this day- he was a midget while i was a giant, now i'm the midget and he is........well he didn't grow either so we both midgets!
Throughout high school i was aware that i was shorter than lots of other people and i didn't mind until people started pointing it out. Over the years i've heard people say some really weird and unnecessary things to me concerning my height. While i understand that not everyone is trying to be mean-spirited, sometimes the comments can hurt and can cause insecurities.
It also doesn't help that my brother who is 7 years my junior towers over me and people are often quick to point that out.
Heightism is real in this world. I've always been told never to consider career streams like Aviation or modelling because of my height, like don't even look in that direction girl. My apparent crime was be born a short person!
Some people have dished out bizarre comments concerning my stubby height, if you relatively tall and have said some of this to shorties......STAAAAAAAAP! Short people also have feelings.......tiny feelings(short pun!).
I Speak for the tribe:
1. "WOW i didn't know you were this short"
This comment stings- i love the personal discoveries that you making but if you could just not bring it towards my direction.....it would be cool. I've had people who have known me for years say this to me and i get puzzled. Sometimes i just smile and walk away.
2. "I feel so tall when i'm next to you"
I'm glad in my 25 years of living i've served my community in this regard- i'm glad i could boost others' self-esteem while they destroyed mine.
3. "Don't you wish you were taller?"
No, i don't actually. I just wish i had nicer friends sometimes
4. "Why do you drive so close to the steering wheel?"
Because i have small legs! common sense is not so common i guess.
5. "At least you are not as short as (INSERT another short person's name)".
I hate this pity comment, don't boost my confidence by instilling pride- i dream of a time when people would be tall, short, beautiful, etc within their own right, NOT compared to another person.
6. "You're still not my height with heels on"
This is an ancient short people problem- wearing the highest heels we could find and still being shorter than everyone. No need to point it out. I personally hate it when i'm wearing heels and people ask me to take them off so they can see how little i am.
PS* People wear heels because they are cool fashion items, not just because we want to look taller!
7. I hate it when people say "it must suck to be so short"
It doesn't................oh who am i kidding? Do you know i can't reach the top shelf without climbing the table top?, i have to tiptoe in most pictures with my tall friends and BTW learning how to dress is like a life skill that takes a while to master.
8. "Are there any tall people in your family?"
What does my family have to do with..............wait....What?
This question makes me wonder if the person asking thinks i'm short because my parents went to a short people's convention then fell in love then had short kids. If you've asked this STAAAP! I have a lot of tall relatives from both parents side, doesn't mean i have to be tall by default. I also know tall friends who have short parents these things happen.
9. Whenever someone sees me hanging out with another short friend "Awww you hangout with one another coz you both short?!"
yes, because we have short people' Storkvel where we console each other about not being vertically blessed.
10. The biggest challenge of being short.... when you've heard all short people jokes but people still crack them anyway
If you are tall and have hurt a short person by any of the above- go and apologize.
If you short and don't get any apology, just remember God made you the way you are, instead of feeling depressed all the time about your height.
YA YA YA You might be disadvantaged in ways by being so tiny but there are Pros e.g You don't have to trim your nose hair coz nobody can see it since they all up there. There's no blanket thats too short for you and OH! having enough leg room in a plane or bus is never an issue since you have short legs. There are many other reasons why being short is awesome.
If you still not feeling better after that.....well deal with it. You only get one body, you can either sulk for life or embrace being a midget :-)
