By: Mostro Vacci
Human beings are curious creatures. Sometimes we get so focused on presenting a front of perfection with so much conviction that we forget who we really are. We spend so much time worrying about what other people will think of us that we tend to forget the importance of focusing on taking care of our opinion of ourselves, and over time, we just completely forget what that is. It is very, very sad.
I have met all kinds of people in this life. I have been lucky because this way I have the opportunity to do what I like the most: observe. No, not judge… observe. It has always been fascinating to me to see human behavior and ask myself the reason for this or that particular action. It is the most interesting thing in the world for me. Still, it doesn’t mean that I spend my time analyzing people as many have mistakenly believed, simply being a witness has always aroused my curiosity.
And something that I have noticed a lot is how people take great care that their image is clean and perfect, that they always come across as a good person (instead of focusing on actually being a good person). Because in this society, appearances really matter more than actions. It is how things look instead of how they are. Like those religious leaders who recite the entire bible to you and condemn you for not following their pious steps while driving a brand new car and having lovers of all different kinds. As long as people don’t know, there is no problem. Apparently, sin is only sin when it is made public…
Like a while ago I met a person who at first seemed very nice. She helped people who were in need, she fed anyone who asked for it, she paid a guy to do odd jobs around her house because }she was struggling to find a job, she even supported my partner to find an apartment when he was considering relocating. I was actually very impressed by this woman because it is very rare to meet someone who actually helps others. Turns out that it ended up being the classic case of two faces. She complained that people abused her and that they only “ate her food”, and spent her time gossiping and crating conflict between those who knew her. She lied, stole from us and badmouthed people, not to mention using a sob story every week to ask for money. She definitely showed her true colors as soon as she got a chance. And in the end she wondered why she had no friends. We all walked away when we realized what she’s really like.
I have come across people who keep stealing money from the companies they work for while accusing others of doing the same. The curious thing is that when everything that they have pocketed comes to light, they act hurt and shout that they are being offended by being called thieves. I have literally seen a principal at a school I worked at who was called a thief to his face when a scam he was running was discovered and the man got upset and the fists came out. In the end they fired him for embezzling… Oh well!…
When someone is being unfaithful, it turns out that they get in an unbearable mood and become extremely jealous, accusing their partner of doing the same. And then, when the truth comes out, after getting indignant and tired of telling their partner that they are crazy, since there is no way to deny it anymore, they break out crying and ask for forgiveness. In other words, they feel bad once they get caught, but not when they are playing the field. And to top it all off, they even have the audacity to lecture people about how good their marriage is.
I don’t think it’s a good thing to pretend that we’re perfect, my dear unicorns. I would love to be able to say that I am, but as a human being, I can’t make a fool of myself. I make mistakes and sometimes I can be a beast. I have a very big mouth and I have a hard time not being rude when I feel attacked. I’m as stubborn as a mule and sometimes the poison flows so naturally from me that I sometimes wonder if I don’t have snake DNA in me. I have never put on a mask of perfection because it would be false. I prefer to share my mistakes with you so that you don’t fall into the same thing, and to see where I’ve messed up so I can learn from it and not make the same mistakes again.
It’s not worth having two faces or pretending that the gods are speaking to us. Let’s not be hypocrites because we will be no better that the ones that do. Likewise, when my students asked me if I ever failed, I told them yes, because I was stupid, because I was lazy, because it’s the truth. Slow I have never been, lazy yes. I am not ashamed to show my human side or the mistakes I have made in the past because that helps me learn and grow and connects me more with other imperfect beings. The same way other teachers told me not to speak the truth and I still don’t see what’s wrong with doing so. As if lying about my past was going to erase it somehow…
Let’s think about the kind of person we want to be, not what people will think. What I have discovered over the years is that people think what they want to and that everyone has a different image of who I really am, therefore, the only opinion that matters is the one I have of myself, and I like myself, I hope you can say the same about you.
Let’s be the person we want to have in our lives, not the one the rest of the world will approve of…
And you brothers, sisters, are you who you are or what you appear to be? Share… if you dare…
Big hugs.
Mostro Vacci.