Be Creme Brulee

There's a scene from a Julia Roberts movie, My Best Friend's Wedding, in which Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz have an interesting conversation. In the movie, Julia is trying to still Cameron's fiance for herself. In her self-assured way, Julia tells a tear-filled Cameron that she's "creme brulee." And all the fiance wants is Jell-O.

Cameron's heartsick character sobs out, "But I can be Jell-O."

The bigger question is, why would you want to be?

I remembered a moment in high school when I really liked a boy who always treated me like a great friend. He moved in a different crowd and was friends with people who participated in all the activities I didn't: drinking, partying, sex, probably other stuff that I don't want to know about.

One time his mom, who was an awesome person, said to me, "He's just not ready for someone like you."

What I heard was, "He doesn't want creme brulee."

And for a moment, the thought that went through me was, "Then why do I want to be creme brulee? It's awfully lonely."

I think, unfortunately, we feel this way often, especially teenagers. Being Jell-O doesn't sound so bad. Why should we take the higher ground? Why can't we just be like everyone else?

Because we're better than that.

Happily, I didn't pull a Sandy from Grease and lower my standards. I didn't make an attempt to join the other crowd and be another smiling gummy bear. However lonely it was in high school, I stuck it out. And I was rewarded for it with a great college education, a wonderful husband, and a peace of mind and spirit that I know I wouldn't have had otherwise.

Don't be afraid to be better. Don't be afraid to take the higher road. Be creme brulee.