I woke up thinking deep thoughts. It's been a while. I've been busy cleaning (just take my word for it), organizing, planning, and establishing effective routines. It seems that little room has been left to process the pieces. A lot started coming to me this morning, though. Pondering something one of my kids recently experienced served as a catalyst for this...
Most people walk out into the world each day clad with armor, prepared to defend themselves against hurt, condescension, insult...from the pain of being human. We judge in each situation, in each relationship, just how much of ourselves it is safe to reveal.
The cost of this is that little by little, our identities become warped. What we are left with are shadows, maybe even half-shadows of the people we were created to be.
As we allow others' reactions to mold us into their preferred image, we are dulled; we lose our luster.
Why do we do this?
It's a defense mechanism. As men of old used swords and spears to protect themselves from injury, we cover ourselves with layers of apathy and insincerity, a flat, watered down version of ourselves.
A descent into mediocrity.
We are a people afraid to show who we really are for fear of being burned. We're scared to care more, to love more, to share more...so we don't. Our relationships are stunted as a result.
We become numb to everything. We would rather feel nothing than to chance making ourselves vulnerable.
Like the walking dead...
Shouldn't we want more?
Let me tell YOU something. you were made to shine, to dazzle, to electrify, or maybe just to make people think.
So what if their eyes hurt because your light is brighter than what they were anticipating?
They may be surprised and a little uncomfortable at first.
Or they might become just a little more willing to express themselves authentically as a result.
Either way, you're worth it.
Most people walk out into the world each day clad with armor, prepared to defend themselves against hurt, condescension, insult...from the pain of being human. We judge in each situation, in each relationship, just how much of ourselves it is safe to reveal.
The cost of this is that little by little, our identities become warped. What we are left with are shadows, maybe even half-shadows of the people we were created to be.
As we allow others' reactions to mold us into their preferred image, we are dulled; we lose our luster.
Why do we do this?
It's a defense mechanism. As men of old used swords and spears to protect themselves from injury, we cover ourselves with layers of apathy and insincerity, a flat, watered down version of ourselves.
A descent into mediocrity.
We are a people afraid to show who we really are for fear of being burned. We're scared to care more, to love more, to share more...so we don't. Our relationships are stunted as a result.
We become numb to everything. We would rather feel nothing than to chance making ourselves vulnerable.
Like the walking dead...
Shouldn't we want more?
Let me tell YOU something. you were made to shine, to dazzle, to electrify, or maybe just to make people think.
So what if their eyes hurt because your light is brighter than what they were anticipating?
They may be surprised and a little uncomfortable at first.
Or they might become just a little more willing to express themselves authentically as a result.
Either way, you're worth it.
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