Five on Friday: Things That People Think I Am (But I Am Not)

Of course, as a parent, there are people in your household that think you are things that you are not, like their personal ATM-Servant-Chef. I get that, too, of course. 

Mom's Self-portrait

But I've noticed that, over the years, there are a few things that people tend to assume I am that I am not. There's nothing wrong with any of these things, I am just . . . not them. Like:

1. A Homeschooler. I don't think there's anything wrong with home schooling and I would like to think that my kids learn from me all the time, but we are firmly a public school family.

2. A Unitarian Universalist. I've been to two UU services in my lifetime. I know and love Unitarians. I am not one.

3. A Psychic. Lots of people seem to think I have "the gift." Maybe they have the gift and can see something in me that I cannot access. I'm not sure I'd want to, anyway.

4.  A Red Wine Lover. I probably won't turn you down if you offer me a glass of red, but white is my preference.

5. Any Number of Ethnicities That I Am Not. My favorite instance was when, at age 18 I was traveling in Egypt. Our hotel concierge was a man with the blackest skin I had ever seen combined with blue eyes. He was gorgeous. I couldn't stop staring. He noticed me looking, turned to face me and said, "You're Egyptian."

I said, "No."

He said, "Your Grandmother's Egyptian."

I replied, "No, she's not."

He nodded his head and said, "You have American face but Egyptian eyes."

I always thought that phrase seemed pretty ironic coming from a Black man with blue eyes!