Don’t Wear A Mask

Now that I have your attention – Sorry this is not about protective masks for Covid, as important as that is

It’s thoughts about how we present ourselves to the world.  Whether you show the true you or not.  If it’s not the true you that you let people see, then you are wearing a mask.  If you are wearing that mask, then you’re conscious or unconscious reasons might be protective.  Or you just want to go along to get along.

People that have dogs and dog lovers think every dog and everything a dog does “is soooooo cuuute”!!

Does the dog know it’s cute?  Does the dog do things to be cute?  Or is a dog so cute just because it is just who it is?

Do you do things so that people will think you’re cute and like you?  Is being popular and liked the most important to you?  Like Sally Field said “You like me”.  If you do, you are wearing a mask.

“I can’t give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time.” – Herbert Bayard Swope 

How often have you heard someone say they are trying to find themselves?  Unfortunately, they rarely do because they continue to look in the wrong places.  They sometimes look to others to define themselves rather than looking within.  They do what others like and hope that they, themselves will like it, as opposed to doing what they like and hope that others will like it.  Don’t confuse what you truly want people to see, the real you, with what you think they want to see.

Once you have covered morality, ethics, kindness, and empathy, then do what it is that you truly like.  If you are not true to yourself, your soul, you cannot be happy.  So you lose and we all lose. Have the courage to show and be your true self.  Sing along “Who are you, who, who, who, who…” The Who.

I woman I know, once confided in me that in her dating experiences, she was always worried that the man would find out who she really was.  She was afraid that he wouldn’t care for her if he knew her problems and hangups.  I asked her, “Do you want him to fall for you or someone else that looks exactly like you?  What if he does and then finds out you’re not who he fell for?”

In the Spinning classes that I lead, I play certain types of music.  Mostly Oldies.  Some have asked me, “why don’t you play more current music?”  I tell them that I play the music I like and hope you like it.  I don’t play the music you like and hope I like it.  If I didn’t play the music I like, I wouldn’t like being in my own class.

“Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you act.” – Leonard Cohen

 “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” – Dolly Parton

“One who desires the attention of others, has not yet found himself.” – Rabbi Shlomo Wolfe

Each of us was created uniquely.  There is no one else just like us…no one.  Each of our paths is like no other.  This is a beautiful thing.  Each of us in our uniqueness adds something to the world that no one else can.

The world could not exist without your unique addition.  Think of yourself as a piece in a jigsaw puzzle.  There is no other piece with the exact shape as yours and the puzzle cannot be completed without your piece.  If you’re wearing that mask, then your piece won’t fit and you are cheating yourself and all the rest of us.

The story is told that the great 15th century Kabbalist, the Ari, could read people’s faces.  When people would pass him on the street,  many would cover their faces because they felt that he saw past the mask and they were ashamed.

“The wisdom of the person shines in the face.” – Ecclesiastes 8:1

Don’t wear a mask!  Let you shine through.  You will be happier and so will we.

More than happy, you will find joy and fulfillment.  When you do, you can continue to climb your mountain, no matter how steep and treacherous it sometimes becomes.

Be Good Do Good Think Good Be Healthy