Evidently I can deny my heritage no longer. My blood runs heavy tie dye orange. But fortunately I come by it honestly. My parents were hippies. Growing up, I learned to love Jimmy Hendrix, Robert Plant, and most hippie rock bands. Dad had a full beard. We drove a VW van. My father had friends that had names like, The Bird, and The Lord. Not lyin...honest! My mother still to this day wears Teva's all year long and owns several tie dye dresses and used to wear Gunny Sack dresses all the time. We had African tapestries hanging from the walls. My childhood was very interesting to say the least. Let's just say that growing up, I learned to be very tolerant of other people and their values and belief systems. I am ready to embrace my heritage fully...and admit that I am a hippie through and through. Now don't go freaking out or anything...I don't embrace the drug use. Certainly that is something I learned to abhor from the mistakes of others. Mainstream society has embraced much of what we considered part of the hippie movement. Yoga, organic farming, living off the grid, environmentalism, tolerance of other religions, love and not war, equality, farmers markets, thinking outside the box. Some really great things have come from this really strange era in our history. And I must accept that I have integrated the good things wholeheartedly in my life and am not afraid to admit it.
Yes, I am firmly rooted in my LDS faith. My testimony is strong. But I am unique. For along time, I tried to run away from the way I was raised. Some of it was psychotic, but for the most part it taught me many valuable and wonderful things. I am moderate politically. I believe in social programs. I don't think welfare is bad or that taxes are of the devil. I grow my own food. I garden organic. I don't immunize my kids. I rarely go to the doctor. We use homeopathic medicines and herbal remedies to cure headaches and infections. I love to sew and recycle. I avoid conflict and fully embrace making "Love" and not "War". Everyone is my sister and brother...whether they are Atheist, Buddhist, Christian, Black, Hispanic, or Gay, etc...I have even been known to sing in the rain and praise God surrounded by nature. I own peasant skirts, and have a huge sandal collection. I prefer things natural and not tightly reigned in whether its my landscape or my organizational style. But I don't look like a hippie. I shave and wash my hair. I try to look nice but really, do we have to wear more than a good lip gloss everyday? I wont hide my wrinkles when I get them. Plastic surgery will never be an option for me. I don't subscribe to any fashion mags and I definitely don't go to the mall more than once a year. I am a freak. I am a nutty granola girl and I stand proud of the individual I am.
So why am I telling you this? Because I met my landlords last night and I seriously could be good friends with them. They are straight up Hippie to the core. They are old enough to be my parents...but we got along wonderfully and talked for 3 hours. We had much in common with them...more than I thought I would. These people were amazing. When she mentioned how they always have friends living with them, liking the Waldorf approach to schooling, having an amazing respect for the land and believing that everything has an energy..(deep doctrine people but it's SO TRUE!), all of these things I have come to embrace in my life. So I guess I am a hippie. I don't get my nails done, go tanning, or enjoy shopping. I would rather cook my own food than go to a fancy restaurant. I would live communally in a heartbeat. I am one crazy chick and I wholeheartedly admit it. Just think, now you can tell your friends that you have a hippie friend. Sorry if offends any of you that think the things I embrace are crazy. Don't worry. I still love you. We all can be different and that is a good thing.
I am not about to Macrame plant holders or start holding Wicca ceremonies in my fire circle, but I cannot deny that my normal is much different than most people I know...and I am ok with it now...I'm coming out of the closet!
4 comments:
I love it! I grew up in a little "hippie" town out in the sticks of northern Cal where we sang songs such as "every man has his vine and fig tree" for our Christmas programs, we had a "Peace Pole" in the front of our school (that someone cut down), and the teachers were all hippies and it was fun. I honestly have fond memories of it all. So being raised around that I too have a little hippie in me--not as much as you--but I wear Birkenstocks, have a tie-dye t-shirt that I love, braid my hair, and rarely wear make-up. I actually get a little annoyed with all the moms here who think that they have to get all dressed up, do their hair, put on a full load of make-up just to go grocery shopping. I just throw on some comfy clothes, running shoes, and put my hair back in a ponytail and I'm good to go. I usually only wear make-up on Sundays or if Ry and I go out on a Friday night. I'd actually love to wear less of it, but I have acne scars that need a little covering up. Anyway, I love "hippies" and most of what they stand for (no drugs or Wicca like you said). Good people. I think people are a little too stereotypical of them sometimes, especially here.
Good for you Erika! I am a date night Sunday makeup wearer as well. Ponytails are the bomb! They cut the peace pole down...funny!! I'm glad you understand. Utah is quite the uptight place is it not...and It can't be just the religion. I think it's more the Midwestern mentality and that's my story and I'm stickin to it.
Ben thought of you when he read this. He has a quote on a de-motivator calendar. A picture of falling snowflakes. The quote says, "Remeber you are unique, just like everyone else."
To all of those out there concerned about Emily, she isn't as weird as you may think. She drives a gas guzzeling SUV and a Mercedes Benz. Neither run on Bio-diesel or spent cooking oil.
Em, we love you just the way you are. Ben and Stacey
ah yes...way to OUT me in cyberspace...my gas guzzling SUV runs on ethanol if there was a station around here...and I didn't have a say on the luxury vehicle...you twit! Your just jealous of my garden! Don't worry, I'll share all the concord grapes and table grapes and kiwi...oh and two apple trees...the pears, we will have to pray for the fig tree... love you too!
Post a Comment