Anomaly

It's not like I asked to be an irregularity

I tried to, several times

To embrace my being and learn how to live

With my insecurities and doubts

But no

I can't

All I am is a pale face

In a palette of rusty tones

"You don't look Mexican"

"Are you sure your mother didn't fool around in her youth?"

"Be glad you have white privilege"

Foolish sarcastic remarks

Confounded my thoughts

But the worst one of all was a comment

From an 8 year old boy

He said

"Hey, you seem like..umm...what was the word? Ooh! I know! You're an anomaly!"

I asked where he learned such a word

A new vocabulary word he had learned at school

He continued

"My teacher told me it means that something is strange and odd"

And for no apparent reason

I began to cry

He asked

"Oh what's wrong? I didn't mean to hurt you! Besides, it's not like being an anomaly is bad!"

I chuckled and told him

"Well if it isn't bad, then what is it?"

And he responded with phrases

phrases that slowly healed wounds created over the course of my life

"It means you're rare. Y'know. Like hard to find. Something that people treasure because you're one in a million"

I will never forget what he said

The words that shook me to my core

And assuaged my sentimental being

To that little innocent boy...

I thank you.

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