Thank you for letting me be myself

Sly & the family stone had an odd way of writing that, but the sentiment is the same.
I admit, I take a lot of things for granted because I have raised the Little Man from his preschool years. I take for granted all kids watch PBS programs, and I take for granted they grow up being read to. I just. Assume that most parents make their children the center of their lives.
I assume art and music and movement are part of their everyday lives.
How could I be so wrong?
We, the teen queen and I were out & about yesterday. It's homecoming week in our district so the kids have to dress up (which means parents need to be creative) so we had to go shopping. Hunger set in so, in order to have something healthy, we went to the co op. And there it began.
My steep learning curve. Lots of questions from a 14 year old who has experienced life very differently than I have. I had to introduce her to fruits & vegetables my son recognized when he was more than half her age.
Bulk foods overwhelmed her.
That did not, however, keep her from shopping.
She didn't know tea could come loose.
Watching me grind almonds for almond butter blew her mind.
Then we picked up lunch and ate al fresco. She had no idea what al fresco meant. I got her blue sky cream soda, myself blue sky orange (which she declared to be gross, not at all like sunkist) vegan sushi, kale salad & carrot cake.
Not a big hit.
Another vegetarian who doesn't like vegetables. Go figure.
I was playing live at the world cafe on my phone; she had never heard of NPR, let alone wxpn. She had never seen the new York times before, either on line or in person.
She didn't know about the concept of thrifting.
There has been a lot of bravado & talk over the weeks since she's joined our family. A lot of it has to do with the fact she has had, at best, limited life experience. I, on the other hand, have had ample opportunity to travel (to quote Johnny Cash, ive been everywhere) and experience life.
I don't blame her.
I've been told that I can be, um, a force of nature...
So I'm this loud, colorful personality, and she's really not used to it.
Shes never really had the exposure to things, having grown up in the country. I've learned from her about agrarian life.
And that it's not a lifestyle for me.
Yeah, one could probably call me a yuppie hipster, but that's how I evolved from a punk rock girl to hippie chick (believe me hippie fashion is easier to pull off in your 40s vs teens). Im grateful that, for the most part, i was able to try on different identities when i was her age. I was able to find my way in the world and be me. Teen queen is finding her voice her sense of style, her identity.
Will she turn into a mini me? Only time will tell.
But in the meantime, I'm going to let her find her way & her own voice. And be herself.