A Quirk

In my many years of being sociable to the point of exhaustion, I realize now that one of the favorite aspects of getting to know a new person, is according to me, to get to know their quirks. All the little things people do when they’re alone, all the tiny things that they do without thinking about it. Humming, spinning their plate while they eat, walking around with gum in their pocket at all times, the odd favorite songs and how high pitched their voice gets when they sing and don’t hit a single note.

A person’s special little things, the things they share with no one but the ones closest to them is what make them so special, so amazing to be around. All the things they love and are insecure about, an unusual guilty pleasure food, a special way they make their coffee in the morning… The small details of their lives.

Getting past a person’s shallow edges and into their actual personality is such a privilege and an amazing opportunity to view yourself from a completely new perspective, because taking part in another person’s passions can open up an entirely fresh way to view yourself. A person’s quirks can easily become something that you both share.

What makes people truly beautiful isn’t how well they blend into society, all the things that make them fit into a group. What makes a person into a beautiful and fascinating one, is the things that separate them from the “regular” crowd, their quirks and flaws.

When we meet a person for the first time, we tend to focus on the obvious things about them. Haircolor, the type of clothes they wear, what they smell like… But when we get beneath the superficial surface of someone, they turn out to be so much more. An irrational fear of bugs, a love for papaya or military green, a passion for photography or archery, the fear of being judged… For me, the people who have shown me their quirks, flaws and passions, are always going to be the most special and beautiful ones.