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Your Childhood Theme?

 
                  This wasn't me but I wished it was


So I have been planning planning planning for releasing my latest manuscript out into the world. I am in the process of revising (the MS and my query letter) and researching agents and publishers. During this process I think it's important to really boil down to what the essence is of your writing, or what its theme is. So far, with Lizzie Fox-Top and my current untitled MS, the theme has hovered somewhere around uniqueness and independence; not needing others to define who you are. 

I realized that I made these "uniqueness" and "independence" themes a central part of my writing for a reason: I feel like that was a really important thing for me as a child. The main goal of every morning was to assemble the wackiest outfit possible: the more outrageous combinations of colors and patterns, the better. Mismatched socks? Wide-leg yellow dollar-store pants? Polyester pineapple-print button-downs, size adult large on my child's extra-small-size frame? Let's go for it. And while that quirkiness did inspire a lot of undesirable responses from my peers, it gave me a thrill to know that I was being different. Even as I walked down the hall and heard a fourth-grade boy ask me if I was picking my outfits out with my eyes closed (which of course left me feeling kind of sucky) I persisted. And I think that probably subconsciously, I felt that these minor ridicules were worth it in the big picture. That's how I want all children to see it and I think that's why I can't get away from quirky, unique characters. I want children to learn to the importance of being yourself no matter what because you'll be glad you did in the end.

But now I'm curious. Does anyone else, looking back, see a certain subconscious theme for their childhood? Be it uniqueness or friendliness, or even that it's ok to be shy?  Feel free to respond to this.