We met up with some people she knew as well and the conversations started about life and at some point she turned to me and said “Well Lisa, you are like Marmite, an acquired taste”…..
It felt at the time like a steam roller had flattened me, I was so upset to be likened to Marmite and more so as I really don’t like the stuff - “you either love it or hate”.
She meant it as a compliment - for me it wasn’t, not then anyway.
Roll forward 10 years (maybe?…) to now. Present day: I live in Singapore, and I still don’t like Marmite - moving country didn’t change my taste buds.
In the last week I have been called “weird” , “quirky” , I think “different” has cropped up too and now I love it - I am Marmite, and it is a HUGE compliment.
I remember telling my folks the marmite quip - my dad said, “you could say champagne instead - not everyone likes that either, it’s an acquired taste” - come to think of it so is super dark 90% chocolate…. Those things I like. Maybe it was because I don’t like Marmite…
Regardless, I am all those things and more and not everyone will like me for who and how I am.
I am a bit crazy at times and am always doing something new - my client reeled off all the things I’ve been up to in the 3 years he’s known me, I never stop!!.. I hadn’t realised how full my life is and I LOVE IT…
Being different can make one (me) a target and it did when I was younger - “you’re weird” was not said as a compliment, so I dampened myself down. It’s taken a while to embrace that weirdness, 10 years ago I still hadn’t..
Now I do, I’m not going out my way to be weird (well ok sometimes I do I admit) - I am being who I am and want to be and doing the things that bring joy to my heart.
It’s ok to be different, ok to be the same, ok to love or hate marmite
It’s not ok to not be you.