Ever played hide and seek with a giraffe?

Where could the giraffe hide? Its options are very limited. Imagine if it tried to crouch behind a small shrub. If it did this successfully it would be so uncomfortable; the giraffe would have to find some way to wind its neck in (and so the saying applies to the quiet as well as the loud and brash). But it really wants to play though! It doesn’t want to be left out. Difficult to hide when you have a distinctive feature isn’t it? Or more specifically it is difficult to integrate seamlessly into an environment when your neck alone is longer than most animals’ bodies? Fighting a losing battle right? So why does this giraffe continue to fight?

Interestingly, I think many people think like this particular giraffe. They want to seamlessly participate in something, regardless of whether they fit into it or not. You have a neck like this for a reason; use it, be it, live it! You may have four legs, but dogs will not believe you are like them. Your facial features are similar to that of a camel, but I’m sure that the director of the film The Mummy didn’t consider you an option as a form of transportation for his cast across the desert. And as for the brownish, shaped patterns on your fur…don’t embarrass yourself and play a game of bulldog with a group of cheetahs. That would prove to be a veeeeeery loooooooong game if you were on first.

How many people do you know that try to conceal their giraffeness? Or worse considerate it as insignificant? Surely working with what you naturally have would be so much easier. More fun. And more satisfying for you. The saying ‘doing yourself justice’ comes to mind. I think that more people have a giraffe feature than they give themselves credit for. Thing is some don’t know it or worse curb it as they think they need to and should to get by. Loud and proud giraffes are called many things: non-conformists, odd balls, mavericks, innovators, weirdos, to name a few. Not all positive feedback! Being a loud and proud giraffe is risky business then, or is it? The thing is it’s very difficult to be everyone’s friend, so the true risk is trying to keep everyone happy. Be everything to a few or little to everyone…what are you doing right now?

You could be the giraffe you’re supposed to be and be found quicker behind the shrub. You get to be on now. Think how easy it’s going to be peering over objects to see if anyone is there. It’s technically you against the majority now as the seeker, but without a seeker the game doesn’t work. I suppose this shows individuals are needed in groups.