I can still recall returning to Canada as a teenager after living in Japan for eight and a half years.
I had a brief stint as a student in Barrhead, AB before moving to Calgary, AB.
I always got along with my cousin, and I was glad he was around. I was also introduced to some of his friends.
At one point, I observed a bit of a dynamic developing.
I thought of myself as being athletic and physically capable, but my cousin was more so.
I thought of myself as a nice guy, but my cousin’s friend was more so.
So, it wasn’t long before I felt like a third wheel. I felt extraneous, like my presence didn’t even matter.
It’s funny what we make things mean.
I had no scientific basis for this thought. It wasn’t even pointed out by anyone else. There was no consensus. It was a personal observation, no more.
But in that moment, I made up something about my identity. And from that day forward, there have been plenty of opportunities for me to feel like the third wheel, like I’m extraneous and don’t matter.
How about you?
Have you ever felt like there’s nothing redeeming about who you are?
There must be something you bring to the table, though, right?
