Having spent most of my life growing up within a mainstream, (and dysfunctional) family unit and then finding spirituality and dipping my toes into the New Age movement, and knowing I didn't fit into either, I've spent a lot of time reflecting on what it means to love and what it means to be human.
The older mainstream societal paradigm would tell me to harden up and get over it, it's not that bad, you're too sensitive, at least you still have a roof over your head, back in our day... etc, etc. The New Age/New Thought movement would tell me to surrender, let go and trust and then go meditate and connect with my higher self, and to think positive thoughts. I’d like to think that we can find a happy medium somewhere between the two, because neither of these seem to leave a lot of leeway for just being human. And I think perhaps that's the one thing that truly connects us all - our humanity.
I love this piece of writing by Allie Michelle called 'SHOW ME HONESTY' from her book 'The Rose That Blooms in the Night' or more simply put in the words of Jeff Brown, another brilliant writer, "we just have to learn how to get turned on by humanness".
"Show me an honest anger over a dishonest peace.
Show me a person honestly accountable for their mistakes over a dishonest perfection.
Show me the person who doesn’t claim to have the answers.
Show me the person who, instead of saying, “this is the path,” says, “go inside and discover where your path leads you.”
Show me the person who is not afraid to do the ugly cry instead of wear a smile on their face that doesn’t reach their eyes.
Honest self-love doesn’t look like a bubble bath or chocolate cake.
Honest self-love is when the most human part of us that we feel guilty or ashamed of gets triggered, and we can look ourselves square in the eyes without judgment because our love is not conditional.
We can be brave enough to become aware of our own bullshit, so that we can grow into more accepting and loving humans.
I have a lot to learn in this life. If I know something, it is that none of us escapes being human.
I’ll say it again: none of us escapes being human. But an honest human is capable of an honest love."
