Benefits Of Being Short

I'll say it, I'm a midget. The definition of midget is just a person with proportionate dwarfism. Dwarfism is diagnosed by height alone (persons 4'10" and below). I am 4'9" and therefore have dwarfism. There are scholarships I can apply for with the Little People of America based on my height alone. I've been used as a walking armrest for most of my life. I run into people all the time who are nervous about mentioning my height or unsure about teasing we with short jokes. You know you're really short when people are unsure about teasing you about it.

I am not one bit sensitive about my height. It's actually a physical quality that I like about myself. My counselor once asked me to name 3 things I liked about myself. I guess it was a self esteem exercise. My height was the first thing I mentioned. I still remember the surprise I read in her eyes.

Many would call my height an obstacle to living a full life. I've even been told I can draw a check for it. Many people only see the drawbacks of being so short. Sure, I can't reach higher than the bottom shelves in my kitchen cupboards. I drive using only my toes because I can't reach the pedals with my whole foot. I can't see in crowds, ever. Pants and long sleeve shirts always go past my feet and hands. There's a whole world up there I can't see. But there's a whole world down here too and it's full of awesome benefits. In fact, I've collected quite a few over the years. So here's my Benefits of Being Short List:

1. You are less likely to be struck by lightning.

2. On hot summer days you can stand in tall people's shadows for shade.

3. When the sun is bright and angled just right to blind you, it's not hard to position yourself so something or someone taller than you is blocking the rays.

4. On cold, windy days tall people block the strong winds.

5. You can disappear easily in crowds if you need to.

6. You can always stretch out in cars and airplanes, no matter if you're sitting in the middle seat in a car or coach in a airplane.

7. You are less likely to be hit by random flying objects.

8. Your center of gravity is lower, giving you better balance.

9. If you do fall (less likely because of above point) you don't have as far to fall and, therefore, won't be as likely to be injured by your fall.

10. You can lie down in bathtubs.

11. You can always stretch out fully in a bed.

12. You don't have to worry about bumping your head on things.

13. Automatic advantage in Limbo.

14. You can pretend to be a child to avoid pushy floor salesmen.

15. You burn more calories walking the same distance as a tall person.

16. You can sleep better on a wider variety of couches.

17. You never hold the umbrella when you share with another person.

18. You don't have to bend over in the shower to wash your hair (I didn't know this was an issue for tall people).

19. You can wear capris as regular pants.

20. You can use throw blankets as regular blankets if need be.

21. Potential master at hide n seek.

22. You can swing upside down on a swing set without hitting your head on the ground.

23. You usually always have the element of surprise in sports because people tend to underestimate you.

24. You're the perfect height for forehead kisses.

25. You can ride the kiddy rides at amusement parks without being judged.

26. You spend less on body wash.

27. People are more likely to be merciful to you because you look like a child.

28. Small living spaces seem bigger to you.

29. You require less food to live, so you save on groceries.

30. Low ceilings don't affect you.

31. You can easily weave through crowds.

32. Some research says you're likely to live longer.

33. Shorter people are often less likely to get heart disease because our hearts have less blood to pump.

34. You can wear children's clothing and shoes.

35. You are less intimidating to children and therefore more likely to be accepted and befriended by them.

36. In winter, your coat covers more of you.

37. You can easily cosplay hobbits, oomp loompas, dwarves, the list goes on.

38. You can play on a playground without being judged.

39. In a fight more people root for you. Everybody loves an underdog.

40. Since you're child-sized, you draw out the natural protective instincts in people.

41. Displays created for children (think of the way Disney World or children's museums are designed) works for you too. You get to see it with all the wonder of a child because you still have the physical perspective of a child.

42. The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything.....no, wait...number 42 is my favorite benefit to being short:

Shorter people have slightly faster reflexes, due to the decreased time it takes for neural impulses to travel to shorter limbs.

I am a Hobbit Ninja.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading!
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-Jerelle

Little Me In The Auto Industry

It's funny the way God works sometimes. I've said before that I have PTSD. Because of my disorder I have had a lot of trouble feeling safe around men. I used to be completely terrified of men. I couldn't trust them or relax around them. Now I find myself working with 95% men. Where am I working, you might ask. I am working in the auto industry. I never saw that one coming. I've been curious and interested but I never saw it actually happening. I studied psychology and religion in college. My family hoped for me to go into the medical field and I thought I was going into the mental health field. Now cars lol. God works in mysterious and amazing ways.

I must say, with my PTSD you would think that my days would be filled with anxiety with so many men around. But the opposite has happened. I get so many safe vibes from so many men! It's really encouraging to feel safe around men. I've missed having male presence in my life. For so many years I've avoided men and surrounded myself with women. But there's something that only men can bring to the table. There's a strength there that's different from the strength of a woman and human beings need both of those strengths. I know God is using this to heal me and I'm very encouraged by this progress.

This job has also been great for my confidence in general. When I first started working I was quiet and nervous, slow to trust people. I was very nervous driving the company cars. I'm an auto parts delivery driver. It took a little bit to adjust to the relaxed atmosphere (soooo different from retail!). I also steadily started to gain confidence behind the wheel. Driving is something I knew I could do. However, I live in a city and traffic up here is a constant challenge and often a death trap. I was unfamiliar with the section of the city that I driving in. It was also December and I believe I've already stated that December is my hardest month with anxiety. Also, it's company policy for delivery drivers to back into parking spaces. I swore off driving in reverse unless absolutely necessary when I moved to the city. I could do it and do it well in the countryside where I'm from, but the city was a whole different ball game.

Fast forward to January. I'm relaxed in the crazy traffic that I encounter nearly every day. It does nothing to my anxiety level. I'm learning the layout of the city. My mental map is constantly being updated. This road over here somehow connects to this area of town that I'm familiar with and this shortcut will get me to the interstate the fastest. This updating knowledge, by itself, is a huge confidence booster. I know where I am and where I'm going, most of the time anyway. The practice with backing into parking spaces is showing amazing results. I've gotten some of my old confidence back. It's different in the city, but the muscle memory is coming back. But that's not the best part!

One day I clocked in at work and checked the key drawer. We have several company cars and several drivers. All the keys for the cars were taken. What was left? A key for the truck. I had never driven a truck in my entire life. I wasn't even sure I could reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel at the same time. I'm a staggering 4 ft 9in tall. My manager laughed and told me to take it for a spin and see how I do. So I did. It's funny the things you discover about yourself. I'm a natural at driving a truck! I got into that truck and drove it easier and better than I drive my own car! It was fun too! Trucks lift you up off the road a bit more and I could see everything! A few days later, I found myself driving the big truck. Not the small truck, the big truck. We're talking a Ford F150 XL. I literally have to climb into the cab. My feet don't reach the floor when I drive. But I can drive it and drive it well! I'll admit, my first time in the big truck I did let out an evil laugh when I pulled out for the first time. You feel powerful driving something that big. Feeling powerful is something I'm not used to feeling, so it put a big smile on my face. I felt so confident!

That's all for now! Thank you for reading, and until next time __________________________.
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-Jerelle