Hello all,

This is a pretty interesting topic...I thought I would throw my 2¢ in on the subject.

I live in South Louisiana, which isn't exactly a hot-bed of celtic culture and it gets rather tiresome having to answer the "do you wear a skirt, too, like those people in that...what's the name of that movie?" questions when I tell someone I'm Scottish! So, I tell them that "Yes, I wear a KILT just like the people in Rob Roy", knowing full well what movie they're refering to, but it throws them off a bit.

I have been a victim of the "what will others think of me" bug and it bothers me a bit. It is a shame that I feel this way, but it is hardly the fault of others. When I see someone wearing African or Arab garb I don't make fun of them and I wonder how they go about their lives wearing the clothing they wear. I also don't really notice other people making fun of them either. Then I observe them a bit and what I notice most about them is their purpose. They see nothing wrong with their clothing and so they don't care what others think.

I guess what is really at the heart of the "problem" is how I perceive myself, not how others see me. In the end I don't want to care what others think of me I just want to feel good about who I am. That is a much harder task to accomplish. How I feel about me is reflected in the confidence in myself I project to others.

I keep telling my friends that I'm going to go to Walmart wearing my kilt on a Saturday at noon. I may just do that some day soon!