My thoughts on "selfies"...

If that isn't a blog post buzz kill, I don't know what is...  (Also-- I don't know how to best organize my thoughts, so here goes nothing...)

Part I:  Seriously, though.  My students (the girls, primarily) are ALWAYS taking selfies.  Just yesterday at the end of a class period, I watched a student take a selfie of herself and I thought to myself, "She looks so stupid doing that.  I wonder if she realizes it.  What a narcissist!  I bet she doesn't even know what narcissism is... I hope this trend ends soon because it is SO DUMB!".  And then, thank God, the bell rang.

Part II:  Remember a few weeks ago, at Nelson Mandela's funeral, President Obama and what's-her-name? posted a selfie on Twitter and it was a viral sensation?

  I was APPALLED by our president.  I found it to be the most tacky, disrespectful thing EVER.

Part III:  I am reading a book right now, WONDER, by P.J. Palacio.

  The story is told by a 5th grade boy who has severe facial deformities and starts school for the first time (having been home schooled up until this point).  Parts of the story are also told by the children in his class and family.  It is so fascinating.  The main theme is bullying, but what speaks to me is how we look at other people once we get to know them.  In our hearts, we don't see their faces, we see their souls.

Part IV:  I came across this video on another blogger's website:

It's longish, but SO worth the 8 minutes.   I got tears in my eyes as I listened to the BEAUTIFUL girl with braces, glasses, and the slouchy beanie describe herself.  And the girl with long dark hair that said, "...When they talked about their insecurities- when the said they were insecure about things- those were the things that made them different.  But the things that made them different made them unique. And...that made them beautiful."    HOW PROFOUND!

Part V:  I realize now, that I am thinking about selfies all wrong.  It really hit a nerve when the same girl (in the video) said that in taking a selfie, you are showing the world that your own beauty, that you are  "....strong, brave, and happy with yourself."  Oh. Wow.  I guess I was wrong.   So here you go, my first selfie:

I AM STRONG, BRAVE, and HAPPY with MYSELF!