I Am Not You

By Kelly Teagarden

Thursday night we had a poetry jam for all the students at Camp WISER. It was the first time that we saw individuality and freedom of expression emerge from the students. They were not confined to the formality of a classroom nor were they restricted by the appropriate memorized responses. They could express themselves and use their own emotions, feelings and thoughts. It was one of the more powerful moments of my life.

Many of our blogs have discussed the ideas of shock, misunderstanding, confusion and lack of awareness. We have each had moments of humbling recognition of how different our lives are from these students. But we have also realized that we are all humans and all children and we share smiles and hugs and laughs. We share dreams and desires for our futures and we all want to make something of ourselves. The humbling differences have hit us hard as we begin to understand how special a time this is for all of us. We are all students, learning from one another about a different world—one with many cultures, traditions and practices. But we are NOT one another. We are each unique individuals and we must be ourselves. Throughout life we are tempted to be like others through peer pressure, societal pressure or familial pressure. But in the end each of us are no more or no less than ourselves.

Wilmer, one of my favorite campers and a member of my core group shared one poem with the group but when asked to write them down handed me 5. One of them was titled, “I Am Not You”. It is written below:

I Am Not You

Performed by: Wilmer Wylkester Warenthof II

I am not you
But you will not
Give me time, chance
Will not let me be me

“If I were you”
but you know
I am not you
Let me be me

You meddle, Interfere
In my affairs
As if they were yours
And you were me

You are unfair, unwise
To think of yourself
That I can be you
Talk, act and think like you

God made me, me.
He made you, you.
For God’s sake
Let me be me.

(This poem was actually written by Roland Tombekai Dempster (1910-1965), who was an African writer and literary figure born in Liberia. The poem is entitled, "Africa's Plea")

This poem struck a chord deep within my core. I was shocked at her bold power and her ability to stand up to the world. Her strength inspired me and her demand to “Let me be me” spoke to me. If she, in this world so different from mine with so much hardship and adversity, where women are often oppressed, can stand tall and demand her individuality, I have no excuse. I have absolutely no excuse. Never again shall I succumb to the pressures around me. They are not worth it. I am me and that is the best I can be.

For the rest of my life I must stand tall and be myself. The pressures of the world will not hinder me and they will not phase me as I push through. There will be trials and triumphs but through them all we must be ourselves—in the end that is all that remains. I would ask everyone to read this poem and to think hard about it’s message. Take the time to pause and look inside yourself. Are you being true to yourself? Are you being you? Each of us were put on this earth for a reason. The message is one we have heard many times before, but somehow hearing it from a tall, strong, 18 year old Kenyan woman it speaks truer than ever. Be yourself and have no hesitations, for you are incredible just as you are. “God made me, me/ God made you, you/ For God’s sake/ Let me be me.”