Real and True

I am almost always regarded as a people person…I can talk, relate and understand other people…their inner thoughts, unspoken feelings, language of their eyes, twinge of their lips even the pain in their hearts. I can decipher almost anything of a human person. In a way, I am transported to their worlds. In a way, I become them. In that way, the connection became so evident that I am almost certain that I can tell the difference between the real from their true self. And from that dissection, it is prevalent that most people are suffering and hurting deep within from the cage of their own being. And there’s a deep, deep longing for rescue. Rescue from what? I am uncertain.

Real life of a person always begins in the morning…start of the day…to face the world who claims to know and understand. From the moment the sun rises, he is bound to follow certain norms and standards expected of him. Unspoken agreement concocted by the world that set the rules on how one should carry one’s self. And all depends on a lot of things like one’s culture, belief, spirituality, and environment. The more factors to consider, the harder it gets. It’s like crossing a wire above flaming lava. The minute one opens his eyes to face a new day, the one thought that immediately comes to mind is the expectation of the world. Otherwise, you’ll be considered an outcast…like a person suffering from leprosy. And you are condemned beyond imagination. Needless to say, most people choose to be confined in their real worlds…in their real self to get away from judging eyes and cruel arbitrators of the real world. Thank God when night is falling, it’s time to rest…shelf the masks and tomorrow is another battle.

But there are occasions where, however restrained, the true self will surface. These are rare times when one enjoys oneself without the real world interfering. It’s like a bird out of its cage…freedom from what the world dictates…freedom from restrictions and boundaries. Unlike the real self, it has no beginning or end. It’s what you are inside…it’s your definition…it’s who you are! Almost always, nobody really knows one’s true self except the bearer. Even those who are regarded as friends, they might know bits and pieces but not the totality. Probably, its one defense mechanism or self preservation against rejection and judgment so, why bother? Taking a chance is a high risk and could not be calculated most of the time. And the fear of losing your loved ones…dear to the heart is one possibility that could result from self definition that nobody I know really dared declare to the world their true being. And I can only sympathize and feel their agony.

Everybody has a real and true self. Everybody has this “if only’s” in their minds. The sad fact is that the true self cannot live hand in hand with the real world with set principles without being judged and injured. It takes a whole lot of courage to be free and to fly. Liberty is just a word…freedom doesn’t really exist when it comes to liberty to be what and who you are. It is always a dilemma. There is always silent harassment and hushed discrimination. The prison bar grows harder and higher every day until you come to your cross roads…real or true? The road for the latter is almost always not taken for reasons we already know. And it might take a lifetime to realize and find the courage to take it. Or we might not have the chance to take it at all….