“Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn.”

Recently I posted about a photography hike and how embarrassed I was about looking weird to other hikers. I’ve thought a lot about that day, trying to understand what I had been so worried about. I finally realized that what made that incident unusual is that I was actually aware that I looked weird. I know my worldview can be a little different, but I try not to dwell on it that much. For an artsy Pisces person, different is pretty much the job description.

But embarrassment and insecurity kicked in again tonight when I dropped by the drug store. Drawn to the gigantic stuffed Hello Kitty in the Valentine’s Day aisle, I ended up on a test-hug spree with their entire selection of stuffed animals. Teddy bears, dogs, lions, and *omg* UNICORNS. I was laughing, having a great time entertaining myself and loving all of the cuddly cuteness.

Until.

I locked eyes with some guy walking toward me with a puzzled look on his face. Yeah, I was hugging a unicorn. For a split second, I tried to decide how to salvage my dignity. Do I quickly shove the unicorn back on the shelf, collect myself, and pretend that I’m an adult? Or….

Oh, screw it.

I grabbed the second unicorn and hugged them both.

You know what? I am 45-years old. I’ve already wasted too much time worrying about what others think of me. Life is too short and I am too tired to be anyone other than myself or deprive myself of fun when the opportunity presents itself.

Unless I can be a unicorn. Then I will definitely opt to be a unicorn.