Not for Everyone

Last month, my partner and I met up with a friend at the U.S. Open. My partner was wearing a shirt that has the design of the polymerization card from Yu-Gi-Oh! As we got off the train, the security guard who scanned our train tickets stopped him and complimented the shirt. This got another guard looking and he said he was also a fan.

As we walked around the grounds, another person stopped us with excitement over the shirt. It was all very sweet and wholesome and I was loving seeing the joy that people were sharing over the reference. 

Then, we walked into another area where a woman, maybe 20 years our senior, looked at my partner and said, what is on your shirt? Is that a black hole? A worm hole?

My partner immediately began to explain—it’s a Yu-Gi-Oh! reference and… 

Yu-Gi-Oh? What’s Yu-Gi-Oh?

It’s a card game that you play with…

Yu-Gi-Oh? I’ve never heard of Yu-Gi-Oh. Do people still play?

…it’s from the 90s and yes people still play and…

Really?! Say it again. Yu-Gi-Oh?

This went on for a slightly uncomfortable amount of time. And as we walked away, I was reminded that some people are going to really get you. Your references and interests and hobbies will make a lot of sense to them. They’ll be tickled.

But not everyone. 

And that’s okay. 

You don’t have to be everything to everyone all the time. And in fact, that kind of behavior ends up serving no one. But what you can be is yourself. And enjoy those who delight in all that you are.