What does it mean to be the third child I will tell you
You could be the third and the last "baby of the family" or you could be the third out of five children. You're still number three. And you're an adult now.
You are so so brave and a little self destructive
The second kid is the illusive character in the family, and you’re the second illusive character in the family
For better or for worse you can keep a fucking secret
You wait three years to tell a story. There are never any fresh experiences to tell about. You tongue them around in your teeth all that time and when the family is ready, you tell them.
Some third children don’t even exist, so be happy, or sad, or ignored
You call shotgun to let your friend know you don’t want to drive. Backseat days are over. But if anyone needs to ride middle seat or in the trunk, you’re exceptional at it.
…but what does it really mean?
It means two have come before you. Having all these players of life has given you something to think about since before you could talk.
How necessary is a third child?
Truly, you are unnecessary. By the time you come and go your parents love you dearly and like all great loves at some point they ask themselves if they ever really had a need or a want for you, or if you were just that real simple matter of life.
It really just means that two have come before you. There were other tracks to follow, other traditions to learn, and other expectations tried and true. I did as many chores as my siblings, but it wasn’t as intense. I developed a method to “like” cleaning and to “like” school. You develop a method for everything. First, you listen. You learn. You know you have an option between good and bad and the beauty of all this data (thank you sister and brother) gives you a choice.
You learn from your siblings’ mistakes and go on discovering even greater nuances for your own blunders and those are very, very special. At some point you stop thinking so much and just let the cells of your body go where they go. You are just that real simple matter of life.
Being so unnecessary means being so free. You’re not number one, you’re not number two, but a “secret third thing”.
Very interesting to read as an only child
#Me