Out of Place – Elisa’s Story The first time someone scoffed at me for wanting to live in the southeast U.S. I was in 11th grade. He said, “Oh, they don’t like us down there. They still call us Yankees.” So? I thought. It’s where I belong. From the time I was 16 years old […]
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Out of Place – Heather’s Story There was nothing atypical about that first day of physical therapy school. But the next three years would be filled with heartbreak, success, failure, and some of life’s greatest lessons. Twenty-five of us sat in a medium sized classroom; each equal parts excited and nervous at the same time. […]
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Out of Place – Joy’s Story On an Irish summer day, overcast with a gentle breeze, a fourteen-year-old girl sits alone. A stranger in this place, she has found comfort in the whispers of the ocean. Her free time finds her wandering the trails along the coast. Today, as she sits on a large rock, […]
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Out of Place – Rachael’s Story “What would you say to the woman who feels like a misfit?” the woman interviewing me asked. As I considered the question, all the situations in which I’ve felt like an outcast or outsider flitted through my mind: as a young girl on the playground, as an awkward teen […]
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Out of Place – Katie’s Story Imposter! You don’t belong here! Do you really know what you’re doing? What makes you feel like you’re capable of taking care of this task? Believe it or not, a form of these have all been said to me. They’ve been shouted in my face, and whispered into the […]
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Out of Place – Bethany’s Story My family and I were in a serious car accident when I was in the second grade. There were no fatalities, thankfully, but I sustained an injury to the base of my spine. Once I healed, it became obvious that something wasn’t right. Life after that was spent going […]
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Out of Place – Celia’s Story Unsettled and out of place. This is how I would describe to you how I’ve felt in this season of life. My husband and I are going through a transitional season, where we both know where we want to be but we’re waiting, sitting, in the not quite yet. […]
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Out of Place – Jodie’s Story As a newly married introvert, I found that the label 外国人 “foreigner” was the only thing that fit me in our newly acquired host culture. While my extroverted husband with his natural language ability and flexible personality seemed custom made for China, I felt out of place. If you […]
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Out of Place – Lindsey’s Story I have memories of being a bold, courageous child. I was confident and could strike up a conversation or play with anyone. And then, that version of me was gone. As if my memories of her belonged to someone else. She was replaced with anxiety. Restless nights. And an […]
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Out of Place – Melissa’s Story As a young girl, I understood that belonging with others felt normal and very safe. However, to really belong, I realized you needed to be known and loved. More than someone just knowing your name; it’s that feeling when someone you know gets excited to see you and runs […]
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Sarah K. Butterfield 