I've been meaning to write a post about this particular topic for a while now...and then I made the stupid mistake of reading a book. And inside the book was legitimately the EXACT same idea that I had. Only this guy said it way better. And I was pissed. No--not really--I was pretty excited about it actually. As I've explained before, it's always nice to know that other people are thinking the same things you are...and when those other people are famous authors, you get to feel smart for a couple minutes.
So here's what happened...I was rushing to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower before Hermione Granger gets plastered all over the cover of every reprint since she's in the movie coming out later this year. And while I love Hermione, (I know her name is Emma Watson) I feel more like an authentic reader if A-list celebrities aren't on the front cover of whatever I'm reading.
When I get to the end of the book I read this page that sums up EXACTLY how I feel on this one particular topic.
You know how when something really crappy happens to you, or you're having a bad day, there's always someone that says "well other people have it way worse," or "I wouldn't get too upset, it could be much worse!"? (Ok...someone remind me to figure out once and for all where I put these stupid question marks. Or remind me to stop asking rhetorical questions to avoid the issue altogether.)
Anyways, I can't stand when people say that. And if you say that to me you will inevitably get a swift "no shit!" right back. Because obviously worse things have happened and are happening to people everywhere. But I am not those people. And I only know what I know. Do I not get to have feelings because my life doesn't suck enough? Is there some sort of level of atrocity your life has to hit before you get to be upset about it? I understand not being a complete brat, or overreacting...but I still think you should be allowed to react. You're the only person who has to live your life. You should get to feel how you want about it.
So, that's my I-write-a-cheesy-blog-that-will-never-become-a-blockbuster-film-way of talking about the topic...and here's what Stephen Chbosky, the author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower says about it:
(Minor spoiler alert...nothing earth-shattering, but it gives away a little bit...so if that's going to annoy you then stop reading!)
"I think that if I ever have kids, and they are upset, I won't tell them that people are starving in China or anything like that because it wouldn't change the fact that they were upset. And even if somebody else has it much worse, that doesn't really changes the fact that you have what you have. Good and bad. Just like what my sister said when I had been in the hospital for awhile. She said that she was really worried about going to college, and considering what I was going through, she felt really dumb about it. But I don't know why she would feel dumb. I'd be worried too. And really, I don't think I have it any better or worse than she does. I don't know. It's just different. Maybe it's good to put things in perspective, but sometimes, I think that the only perspective is to really be there. Like Sam said. Because it's okay to feel things. And be who you are about them."
Pretty good, right?
Thanks for being an unknowing guest blogger today, Stephen Chbosky. Way to out-shine me.
"Maybe these are my glory days, and I'm not even realizing it because they don't involve a ball."
-Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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