jen hussein plus two

I was born with a lazy eye that no one seemed to notice till I hit kindergarten.  Seeing double for years, I had no real idea at first that all the mocking was intentional because I was too busy trying not to run into walls.  But looking back it's ironic that a defect of my birth would be fodder for public ridicule.  See, I had no more say in my lazy eye than I did IN CHOOSING THE NAME I WAS GIVEN AT BIRTH.  To top it off, I had thick bottlecap glasses.  I was indeed as all children are, beautiful on the inside.  But still. 

For four long years I lived with the regular taunts on the playground four eyes four eyes how many fingers do you see four eyes.

And I spent many a night crying myself to sleep and hiding my face by looking down at the ground.  Eventually and three surgeries later this was resolved and now no one is the wiser but me and the poor souls who glance into the dusty photograph books of my past.

But I'm still stuck with one iconoclastic reminder of my youth.  My name is Jennifer and I will forever join the ranks of the millions of other Jennifers born in the 70's.  And I'm fine with it because it's not the name or the cross eyes that define me.  It's defined in how I mother, in how I love, in how I laugh, and how I stand up for what I know to be true.

And I've left those bullies far behind where they deserve to be, sitting in their momma's house in their late 30's playing video games because they failed to get a life.  Hi Bill C. how are you?

Let's stop the bullies, shall we? 

Jen ponders her other imperfections daily over at one plus two.

Comments

[Julie Pippert]

Absolutely, Jen, stop the bullies!

You nailed it---you absolutely perfectly described the difference between who someone is and what they happen to be named.

[Glennia Hussein Campbell]

I always wanted to be a Jennifer growing up, mainly because I thought it was romantic, like Jenny in "Love Story" and Jenny on "All My Children."

I love this: "And I'm fine with it because it's not the name or the cross eyes that define me. It's defined in how I mother, in how I love, in how I laugh, and how I stand up for what I know to be true." That's beautiful, and oh so true.

[Amy Y]

I was called "nuclear nostrils" in school because my nostrils were larger than most.
I also used to swing my braided pigtails and hit people in the face with them.
Kids are mean, huh?

[Kyla]

Awww, my little jen. I can't imagine anyone picking on you, love.

[Lawyer Mama]

If people couldn't remember my name, they always called me Jennifer. It's almost as if Stephanie and Jennifer are interchangeable. They're just so damn common among women our age.