The Perks of Being Short

Some of you may not have realised this, but 'Short and Sweet Music' is partly a pun. Why, you may ask, well because I am in fact vertically challenged. One could debate about what height 'short' really is, but I think it's safe to say that if you are under 5 foot, you are indeed classified as being this very thing (if height is a thing). It has taken me a long time to accept that I am not quite 5 foot because for a long time I used to think that 150cm was just that and I was super proud of myself for achieving this level of accomplishment. When in fact I discovered that you had to be exactly 152cm to be labelled in this human sized category, I was mortified. Why was I mortified, because until that very day I was under the illusion that height did not matter.

Who're you calling short?

I have always loved being small, it was kind of fun always being near the front of the 'height order' queue for photographs. The only reasons I did not like being short was because I have very short legs (comes with the territory I guess); sometimes people don't notice that I'm around (because they can't see me); I feel claustrophobic in 'Golden Circles' (because I can't see anything but people's backs and bums) and I have to shorten every pair of long pants that I buy (this sadly has amounted to me just cutting the ends off the pants and not bothering to hem them, or just going for the 'rolled up' look, which doesn't always work). Oh, and one final thing, the potential ballet career would have never worked out, especially when you could see the head of every skinny girl behind you, peering back at you in the mirror.

Spot the difference

But in truth, I like that I am short and I think my life would be quite different if I were any other way and since November is thankful month, I have decided to write my list of the pros of being short. So, here it goes:

• You have more chance of dating/marrying a man who is taller than you (also great if you marry a tall man who can reach things for you)
• You can hide easily from people (if that's the sort of thing you like to do)
• You don't hit your head on low door frames or overhanging trees while hiking (this is my favourite)
• You can buy clothes from the kids/teenage section - they are usually cheaper (not advisable if you are a school teacher as I have experienced quite a few civvies days at school where I have been wearing the same clothes as my students, I think it's cool, but they don't and then it's awkward) 
• You don't get a sore back while washing dishes
• You can wear any height of heel you want
• People usually think you are younger than you really are (probably a bigger perk as you get older)
• You can be a musician and know one cares how tall you are, they just want to know if you have 'chops' (jazz muso slang term for skill)
• You can make other people feel better about themselves (it's amazing how so many people are insecure about their height)
• You can use the term 'dynamite comes in small packages' as your mantra
• You can pack more of a variety of clothes in your luggage bag ('cause your clothes are smaller than the average person and take up less space...well it's a good theory anyway)
• You don't have too far to go to bend down to the ground (apparently this is a good thing)
• I'm told that being short is the reason I am really supple. Personally I think it's just genetics and the fact that I started doing gymnastics and ballet at a young age, but you could use it and say it's a perk from being short - at least a lot of tall girls have told me that, but then I've met many super supple tall girls too so I think this is quite a silly one. I'm also not 100% sure there are that many perks to being supple, but I wouldn't know any different. 

So, if this has enlightened any giraffes, or any shorty's are nodding their heads, pray do tell and comment below.

Yay for awesome heels!!!

Please note that none of the photos in this post are mine.