59 Candles, 59 Things – part forty six

Fifty fourth thing: Being tall makes me happy and deserves a spot in my 59 Things series.

It wasn’t always so. I was the tallest girl from kindergarten through my high school graduation. My friends were short and boys were not getting their growth spurts. I was very shy and preferred to fly under the radar rather than draw attention to myself. Unfortunately, I was less than graceful and frequently tripped over my feet while entering a room or falling up or downstairs in a tangle of awkward too-long legs.

As an adult I grew into my just-over-six-foot-tall frame and came to appreciate it. I got asked to model clothes for local fashion events (including discounts as a result). I could always find my friends in a crowd, easily reaching the top shelves in stores and kitchen cupboards, even the ones above my fridge. Yes, it was hard to find pants that fit my 36 inch inseam but I also found I could wear most of my wardrobe with a 25 pound weight fluctuation, something my shorter pals envied.

The main reason being tall makes me happy is that in accepting my height as a part of me that can’t be changed, I embraced my tallness early on as a unique part of what makes me who I am.