Noticing My Asymmetrical Ears!

As I was stopped at a red light in traffic on my journey to yoga this evening, I noticed for the first time in 55 years that my ears are not symmetrical. I’ve known for decades that one eye opens wider than the other and that my nose tilts a bit to the right – which is handy since my husband’s nose tilts slightly to the left – it is a perfect fit.

But I found it curious that my ears are not shaped the same. I’m not sure why I expected them to be symmetrical. I’d just assumed they were. And I found myself surprised that I’ve never noticed before today, in the car, at 5:15pm, on my way to yoga.

My hair has always been rather sassily short, exposing my ears to an easily viewed reflection in the mirror. My lobes have been pierced since I was 12 or 13; so I’ve been adorning my ears with earrings on a daily basis for what seems like forever. I’ve worn headbands and hats. I’ve primped, applied make-up, inspected for rosacea and zits, plucked errant hairs from my chin, and inserted contact lenses in my eyes for 30 years yet never noticed the difference in the shape of my ears until today.

And I did not notice because of a visual cue. No, I felt the difference. For some reason while stopped at that red light I looked in the rear view mirror, noticed I’d forgotten my earring, reached to my ear and felt the uneven cartilage of my right ear that has an odd bump in the inner curved part near the top. When I reached up to check my left ear I noticed it was smooth. Why had I never notice before?

This is not an earth-shattering discovery. However, I was reminded how I’ve not always lived my life mindfully aware of my body, my personal space, and my surroundings.  Ultimately, I found I felt comfort in the asymmetry. It is these little differences that make us each uniquely special. I’ve learned to embrace who I am and celebrate what makes me extraordinary. My ears just contribute a bit to that difference.

What about you makes you uniquely special?