Being Inimitable

"Nobody can imitate me. You can always see impersonations of Katherine Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. But not me.  Because I've always drawn on myself only."
                                                                                                                -The inimitable Joan Crawford

Photo courtesy of mimfroufrou.com

For some, the biggest challenge of this generation could be figuring out our health care system or stemming an already out of control energy crisis.  For others, healing the effects of natural devastation in faraway lands or bringing child trafficking to a screeching halt may be the largest hurdles of our time.  But for me, the greatest undertaking of the next several decades will be learning to be me.  


The power to draw on one's own sense of self  for innovation, creativity, pride of place, and sheer "fabulosity" is one not easily attained.  It requires not settling for mediocre, conquering the enemy called average, becoming an overcomer by embracing the Mt. Fuji's in our way.  It requires surrendering the selfishness of mind that keeps one from accepting the truth of heart.  


Daily, I remind myself of the things that are holding me back, keeping me from achieving, from advancing.  I need to stop doing that.  I need start calling out the things that make me a show stopper, the elements of Stacey that make me indispensable, influential, and magnetic.  


I wanna be that chick. That chick that everybody looks at and says, "Unh.  Look at her...she think she all dat."  "She think she somebody."  Hell, yeah!  I think I'm somebody!  Doesn't everybody want to be somebody?  The sad truth is, no.  Not everybody wants to be more than satisfactory, more than okay, more than good enough. Not everybody wants to stand out of the crowd, stop traffic or draw admirers like the IRS to a fat check. 


That's why, my dears, there is so much room at the top.  That's why the Joan Crawfords and the Sophia Lorens and the Lola Falanas of the world are in their own fabulous world all to themselves. People want to be like them, but cannot because they are not.  They want to be fabulous, but cannot because they're afraid that "they" could never include "me".


Well, I'm done with that crap...

                                  Ain't nobody fly like me
                                  sly like me, smooth like me
                                  sharp like me. 


                      Can't nobody love like me
                                  strut like me, talk like me
                                  rock like me.  


                      Won't nobody lean like me
                                  swing like me, rep like me
                                  bring that like me.


                                  I don't wanna be no wanna be.  


                      I'm just gonna be me.