Salmon Isn't a Fish; It's a Way of Life

            Have you ever wondered why Salmon swim miles upstream against hectic currents and rapid water just to reproduce and then die from the exhaustion of the task? What makes them travel to the exact spot where they were born, leaving the salt water haven that they came to know their whole life? Many have theories, but I say that it is just instinct -- instinct to not always go with the flow and perhaps die for what they believe in. In my opinion they seem to be the heroes among fish, and perhaps the role models that I base my own beliefs on. I’ve come to strive for originality, taking on the role of salmon, by swimming upstream against the norm of society. I’m not one to conform with the rest of the world, even when following the crowd is the easier route to take.

            Why do the people of our society declare their independence from the crowd, yet work so hard to fit in? We are told to be ourselves, yet we are always trying to be someone else. When we buy clothes or style our hair, we do so to stand out but really we are turning ourselves into the clones of the magazine models. As I see these attitudes about self consciousness eating people from the inside out I begin to pity those who have been swept by the current of conformity. I am a first-hand witness to the obsession of image – by attending one of the most expensive universities in the state, I am constantly being reminded by the perfect bodies and expensive attire covering the crowd that I am alone. While I roll my eyes with disgust as I hear the same materialistic topics buzzing in my ear, I thank God that I am not so narrow-minded. At least if money can’t buy perfection, then slaving away in the gym for hours on end everyday can take away the worries of fitting in by standing out as the body of beauty. With girls obsessing about the latest fashions and the nightmarish traces of cellulite invisibly lining their bodies, and the shallow guys who must dress to impress the superficial girls, driving the most expensive cars to boost their diminishing egos; I find that I am the most fortunate. My logic is simple: when everyone looks beautiful, no one is.

            Fish come in many colors. Some are more beautiful than others, some are stronger, some are faster; but in my opinion, salmon are most unique. If they can choose their own path against the norm then so can I because I would rather be a fish than a clone. I am part of the jigsaw puzzle of the world, but I don’t have to complete the picture. Though we are separate pieces at first, why must our edges disappear when we all come together?