How I get little crushes

I was in Philadelphia this past weekend when the Raptors won.  I was at an American bar with some good friends, all Canadian of course, cheering the Raptors to the finals.  That is a moment I will never forget.

I would describe myself as woman who really likes other women.  That sounds like a bazaar statement but it's truly how I feel.  Society sets us up to compete with other women.  We are schooled very quickly as little girls, to measure ourselves against other little girls.  How pretty we are, how curvy or thin we are, how good at sports or how smart we are in comparison.  The drive for a woman to be perfect is relentless. Lidia Yuknavitch, writer of the phenomenally honest memoir; The Chronology of Water: A Memoir debunks the myth of female perfection with her absolute refusal to meet any expectations except her own.  She is a woman I admire.  A woman who inspires me.  Every once in a while I develop a crush on another woman and that person captures a little piece of my heart.

I first came across Yuknavitch through a Ted Talk; The Beauty of Being a Misfit. Toronto had a particularly harsh winter and I would sit at my desk during my lunch break and pound 3 talks back a day.  Yuknavitch's Ted Talk fascinated me.  I identify with misfits, I like different.  I like people who struggle, fight and grow. I like people who show vulnerability and true confidence.   I seek out authentic people and immerse myself in them.  Immediately after the Ted Talk I ordered the book.

The Chronology of Water is a memoir about a fiercely  independently minded woman who is finding her way through life.  Beset by horrific personal demons and an abusive home, her athletic ability wins her a swimming scholarship to Texas Tech.  A tremendously bright woman, she is tortured by her own past which sets her up for a journey of self-destruction that had me riveted.  A natural fighter she makes hard choices but every time she falls down she gets back up.  Refusing to let life get the best of her she ultimately achieves a PhD from the university of Oregon and is published. I don't need to tell you more, you can read the book.

I think what struck me most about Yuknavitch, what caught my interest was her uncompromising belief in herself.  She makes no apologies for her choices, good or bad.  She lives out loud. She is an authentically real person.  Consequently, she reached something in me. I inhale books and I am a speed reader.  Rarely does an author capture my attention this fully.  I guess that is the beauty of art.  Somebody else's perspective and story can strike a chord in you and make you feel that more alive and connected.