Iam curious to know if any of my readers have ever felt “different” than everyone else? The most recent example of this for me was the most recent Veterans bike rally that leaves Woodland Park and heads toward Cripple Creek as the waning days of summer take hold and the aspens begin thinking about changing their colors. This is a major annual tradition in our town, and from what I have read, the biggest bike rally of its kind in the state.

My family goes most years, not to ride, but to celebrate those that are. You can find my family usually standing at the corner of Midland and Fairview, kitty-corner from the Cultural Center. We are the group with all the kids waving at the bikers as they begin their long journey, zooming past with smiles on their faces, flags waving. My younger siblings usually pass the time counting how many motorcycles pass by or pointing out the really unique bikes.

But I wasn’t there this year. By the time the parade started, I was already holed up inside the library. After visiting all three levels and finding a few books, I left and found a nice shady spot to read while listening to the motorcycles go by down below.

Like many of my readers, as I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to embrace my differences, and not view them as negative as some people try to portray them. Differences I once ascribed as coming from a larger-than-normal family or being homeschooled have morphed into a genuine love for reading and dance, the latter being something I can do for hours on end until time seems lost even to me.

These are things that make me unique, even in a large family, and make life meaningful. But back to my moment this summer. As the bike rally concluded and the thunderous engines of conformity stopped their echoing applause across the painted walls and high pitched ceilings of the library, I closed the pages of my latest read, recognizing the profound beauty in the soft rustle of the pages turning in the library of my heart. As I returned to my family and headed back to our car, I recognized that once again that being myself was not only acceptable, but also something to be celebrated.

Ruth Wiseman is a Colorado native and a dual-enrolled high school student attending Pikes Peak State College.