~Be Youself~

"It's better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not"

- Andre Gide

Bastard – Homosexual - Liar - Incestuous - Pedophile - Sinner - Black Listed - Literary Genius

47 years is a long time. That is how long it took for Andre Gide to find himself. Years of lies and sin weigh heavily on those who are forced to be who they are not. He married women, yet slept with underage boy prostitutes. He lived a life in the shadows either from fear of injustice or judgment. It wasn't until the second half of his life, for his remaining 35 years, that he was truly able to live by the words he wrote. In a time where his lifestyle choices would be considered scandalous and treacherous, Andre was finally able to be open and honest to both himself and to the world. It is not words that define us, but our actions. It may have taken him half of his life to figure things out, but he was so far ahead than most of us are today in a world with little to no limitations. The lies and shame prevent us from being who we truly are, and I personally think Andre hit the nail on the head. The key is to be comfortable in your own skin and to embrace who and what we are, not who they want us to be.

This all ties back into the concept of the masks we wear. Whether it is in different crowds, at work, at school, at home, or in intimate settings, we have so many different faces. That is not to say that this is a bad thing. It would not be appropriate to use language that we tend to use in a casual social setting then say, with our coworkers or teachers. There is a time and a place for our different persona's to come out, and this is not a lie, it is simply a way of adapting to our surroundings.

Who am I? I am a student, a teacher, a wife, a daughter, a Baptist, a woman, a redneck, a goofball and a professional. There are so many things that define me, yet I am not limited to just words. I am so much more than what I could ever put to paper. The whole point is to know who you are and to love what you stand for. I know life will test me time and time again, but as long as I am able to stand my ground and not back down from fear of rejection, I will come out on top. I am not perfect, but I am me.