Just the Way You Are

by Beth Moran

She sniffed, pressing her face onto my shoulder. ‘I would if it was a Nazi uniform. Or just a dirty pair of pants and a string vest. Or like one of Ebenezer’s T-shirts but it said something like “I hate reading” or “All lives matter”.’

‘I wish I had a nice dress. Or… or something pink with flowers on it. The kind of clothes nice, pretty girls wear.’ ‘Joan.’ I pulled back so I could look her right in the eyes. ‘You are a fantastic, interesting, clever, brave, beautiful girl, and you don’t like flowery pink dresses. Girls and women can wear whatever they like. It has no reflection on how nice or pretty they are.’ She shrugged, unconvinced. ‘I just want to look like a normal kid.’ ‘Oh my darling. Don’t ever wish you were normal – as if any one of us really is. Do normal girls find their long-lost grandparents and plan an expedition to meet them? Do they take in half-dead puppies they find in the woods and teach them how to dance? Do they decide that they’re so determined to be courageous and powerful that they change their own name? You are anything but normal, and that’s what makes you so incredible. Was Frodo normal? Was Katniss Everdeen? Joan of Arc was pretty much the least normal woman in history!’ ‘Okay, okay, I get it!’ Joan sniffled, laughing through her tears. ‘I’m a weirdo but a good weirdo, so I might as well dress like it so we can find out straight away if Nana and Grandad are going to be all right with it or not.’