Keepin' it Real

Recently, I have been reading a friend's blog and her writing has really got me thinking. She is so real and so honest, no fear of judgment, she just says things as they are. She is not afraid to talk about her feelings or beliefs, and it is to be admired. Her writing will make you smile, it will make you cry, it will shock you, and even make you feel her pain as if it were your own. Either way, it's real, it's who she is and she isn't afraid of that.

It is true that a great deal of people will discuss their political beliefs or things that they are passionate about, but what I am talking about is getting deep to the heart of the matter, not being afraid to say how you are feeling, being able to put it all out there with the attitude of, "This is who I am and if you don't like me, you don't have to, but I won't change." I tend to shy away from writing my deepest beliefs and observations because I don't want to offend people, I don't want to be judged, or even misunderstood. Really, what am I doing for myself? The answer is nothing, I am hiding who I am out of fear so ultimately, the friendships I have are possibly fake because people don't REALLY know me. What kind of substance forms from fake friendships? The real me wants to connect with people, to inspire, to be admired for who I am, not who people may think I am.

So who am I? I am many things...compassionate would be the one word I use to describe myself. I know what I believe in and what I stand for, and I get to speak up more often. For so long I have had this deep rooted fear that no one wants to hear my thoughts/feelings, especially if they aren't happy ones or if they differ from their own. I fear rejection and this is in no way being true to myself.

I guess what I am getting at is this: Thank you "M" for inspiring me to be true to myself. You are always honest and I am still your friend. In fact, I respect you more for being so brave. You are who you are and you are awesome. Don't ever change. Through your writing, you open the eyes of others, people relate to you, and this is not only the attribute of a powerful person, but also a fantastic writer. Here's to a whole new blog (when I have time--LOL!). Keep writing "M"! It's truly inspiring.