How “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” Showed me that Beautiful Souls Come in ‘Strange’ Little Packages…

If there’s nothing else that you take away from yet another one of my review posts, just take this – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” really did highlight the perks of being a wallflower.

The perks are that you get to experience life in ways that no one else does. As said in the book, you get to be quiet and listen and understand instead of being involved in things. This coming of age, philosophical drama was very touching. I felt for Charlie when he was sad, and I loved laughing along with him when he was happy. I just wanted him to have a happy ending, and despite the actual ending he got, I think he was happy.

And this is important. This was the point of the book. Though life shits on us all too often, there is still a happy ending. Still something good, anything at all, that should be focused on. Family, friends, and fun. Charlie’s struggle with overpowering emotions and tough thoughts resonated with me a lot, being an anxiety sufferer and a highly sensitive person. I understood that it is so difficult to switch off sometimes, especially when you need to most. Charlie would do all that he could to keep busy and not cry but it was often just too hard. And I understood that which made me connect with his character a lot more.

And I’ve been the wallflower. Less so now than when I was Charlie’s age, but I have been just like him. The person who’s left out. The person who doesn’t understand why people are doing or saying what they are. The person who loves family more than anything. The person who just feels like a burden on others. And the person who just wants to make sure that everyone else is happy, even  at your own expense.

But what I didn’t understand was Charlie’s specific childhood. I didn’t understand how horrific that must have been. And I am not Charlie, with his unique mind and view of the world. But I loved being introduced to him. Because Charlie is a special soul. His view of the world is beautiful. He is right to question things and love complex people and say what’s on his mind. Though I feel he has a case of Asperger’s, which people would call a disorder or whatever, I would say this makes him beautiful. Though he and many real people in our world will face a lot of difficulties in life, I say to those people that the world could do with more like you. You are special. And not in the insensitive use of the word but in the real sense of the word – you are unique; you are important. I’d love a friend like Charlie. I really would.

And I hope books like this encourage people to realise that it doesn’t matter if someone else’s mind works differently to yours. Instead that person can teach us something we would never see ourselves. Disorder or no disorder; whatever creed or colour you associate with; each person on this planet has a unique view of the world, and only the brave and the beautiful and the open minded will be able to embrace the ideas of all of these different people with an air of curiosity, instead of malice.

So extend a hand to someone who you find ‘different’ instead of raising a fist or throwing around a bad word. This person will brighten your life and open your mind in ways you never thought possible.

And read this book if you don’t believe me.

Seek Friendship. Seek Openness. Seek Peace.