Confessions of a ... Hippie?

I have a confession to make.

I think I'm a hippie.

I say this because, in the course of a week, four different people have asked me if I was one or have called me one. Upon further introspection, I think I may be. But I'm not ashamed. :)

In an attempt to actually define the term "hippie," I turned, of course, to the internet and all its wisdom. There are a variety of definitions out there, starting with the always-reliable Urban Dictionary. There are too many definitions to count on that site, but there are a few that I think are appropriate.

Definition 2 defines a hippie as "One who embraces life to the fullest. Promotes peace, love and happiness, but sure as hell sticks up for what they believe in. Anyone can be a hippie."

Definition 7 states: "A hippie is a person who is comfortable enough with themselves that they do not hold judgements against anyone else. They are usually happy people and tend to/try to spread their happiness everywhere they go. A true hippie does not categorise themselves by the way they dress but by the way they act. To be a hippie is to be part of the larger view of peaceful activism."

I especially love the 8th definition: "See Jesus, Jesus Christ. Jesus was the ultimate hippie."

So, I guess looking at these definitions, I guess I am a hippie. I am a vegetarian (well, sort of, but my dietary preferences are hard to define in just one word). I am fairly non-violent and struggle to reconcile my feelings about war. I'm open-minded, and I try quite hard to be nonjudgmental. I strive to protect the environment as much as possible and to leave as small of a carbon impact as possible. I recycle. I reuse. I conserve. I also like to think that I embrace life to the fullest. I definitely stand up for my beliefs.

If all these things make me a hippie, then I guess I am. And I'm okay with that. There are certainly worse things to be.

But, one thing is for certain, I definitely do not dress like a stereotypical hippie. And I can't see that ever happening!!