I have always been one of short stature. Petite, fun-sized, vertically challenged. As a child, I was always the shortest, if not the second shortest person in my class. I remember the thrill of finally hitting 4 feet, 11 ½ inches in junior high. I am now 5’2” which means that I have gained a whole 3 inches in 7 years. Woo! In some ways, I feel like I’m missing out on a whole world above me that those of average or tall height experience, but in other ways I feel like I have the upper hand.
Pros:
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1. I can fit into tiny spaces.
2. “Short people: God only lets things grow until they're perfect. Some of us didn't take as long as others!”
3. I can duck and weave in large crowds, particularly in Disneyland, quickly and easily.
4. “Tall men come down to my height when I hit 'em in the body.” – Jack Dempsey
5. I don’t ever have to think about dating someone who is shorter than me because everyone is taller than me unless they are legally a midget.
6. “We short people have a great perspective on life; we are always looking up.”
7. When I trip or fall the ground is closer to me.
8. “Women short in height tend to be more ambitious, independent, feisty and achieve more financially.”
9. I walk at a quicker pace so my calves are pretty buff.
10. “And though she be but little, she is fierce.” – William Shakespeare
11. I have plenty of leg room in the back seat of cars and on airplanes.
12. “My favorite part of my appearance is my height. I'm five foot one and I feel feminine being small.” – Alanna Ubach
13. I save money on socks because I fit children sizes.
14. “God blessed me with a lot of heart and no height, and I'll take that any day.” – Nate Robinson
15. I have to stand in the front for group photos.
16. “The best things come in small packages.” – Amirah
17. Dangling my legs while sitting in chairs.
Cons:
1. People use me as an armrest.
2. People make too many short jokes.
3. People pointing out the obvious height deficiency.
4. I can’t jump very high or reach the top shelf.
5. I have to roll up my jeans because they’re always too long.
6. Not being able to see around people in class or at concerts.
7. I own step stools.
8. T-shirts become dresses.
9. I am always in the middle backseat.
10. Doing my laundry basically means crawling into the washer.
So, that right there are 17 pros in my book versus 10 cons. It can be a challenging lifestyle, but I find it to be overall not a bad deal. I find creative ways to deal with it and manage just fine thank you.
Oh, and lastly, In my extensive research on the topic I found this sarcastic song called “Short People” sung by Randy Newman:
Yeah, that's the same guy who sang "You Got a Friend In Me" from Toy Story.
