short end or the gene pool
Short End of the Gene Pool In the article, “My Inner Shrimp”, by author, Garry Trudeau, he goes into detail about the early years of his ‘short’ life and how they continue to emotionally impact him well after the issue is no more. Everyone has been singled out for one reason or another at least once in their life which makes it easy to understand where Trudeau is coming from. After reading this article, one might think that Trudeau simply needs tougher skin. It’s been known that kids can be cruel but it’s a parent’s responsibility to reassure their young that they are just as good as anyone else. It seems as though Trudeau’s father was aware of the situation and though he embraced and comforted him, no reconstructing words were said. Compared to the much more serious problems other kids face, in different countries or even our own, height being the least of them, it seems as if Trudeau needed to just ‘get over it’. In Trudeau’s mind, his height was the root of all that was wrong in his life. Not realizing that when a problem gets resolved, a new one presents itself. Digging deeper into this article, Trudeau’s actions and emotions can be easily compared to, say a recovering addict. Even though he can’t go back to being short, the past still has an emotional hold on him and every time he is reminded of it, he breaks down a bit, builds himself back up, and carries on. In a way, this article teaches us compassion and understanding. People may have similar problems to one another, however they surely have different ways of coping. No one knows the next person’s struggle but having mercy upon them will ensure the same in return, should the table be turned.