Vachon Imagined

I’ve never really fit neatly into one group or stayed inside clear social lines.

Growing up, especially in high school, there was a lot of pressure to belong in a specific way—to stay in one circle and not move outside of it. When I didn’t do that, it wasn’t always easy. I was misunderstood, sometimes excluded, and there were moments where I was spoken to in ways that were painful, even by people I thought were close to me.

I think what I’ve learned over time is that when people react strongly to difference, it often comes from a place of discomfort, even hate. Something doesn’t match what they expect, and that creates tension that boils over. I don’t think that makes hurtful behavior okay, but it helped me stop taking everything only as rejection.

Curiosity is what really carried me through all of that. Instead of just reacting or pulling away, I started observing—people, situations, and especially myself. How I think. How I respond. What patterns I repeat.

That curiosity eventually led me to study criminal behavior and psychology, to become a public servant, but it also led me inward, to really look at my own mind without avoiding what I saw there.

And what I’ve noticed is that offense often comes from discomfort or fear of not understanding or accepting oneself, while curiosity creates space to stay open. That difference has changed how I move through the world, and how I relate to people, including myself.