Just a little bit of power....

Author's note: This is just a bunch of random thoughts on the idea of what we put ourselves through in order to meet the world's standards. I went off of the idea of the door; the outer appearance can reflect something completely different than what's on the inside. It is so easy to control our appearance so our heart's reflection doesn't show through. When did it get this why? Why is it so easy for us to change ourselves if we don't appear the way someone else does? Sure there are confident people who share their ideas (I completely respect them) but they've struggled with this same thing, that longing to belong and be accepted.

Everyone has this ability, “gift” if you prefer it that way; we have power, power to control our own appearance, power to inhabit space elsewhere, secret and alone. Our souls are guarded by a façade, blocking out all the views and judgment of the morbidly honest world outside. We can control what they see because we’re given the tools to hide our own emotions. The door from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is just an obstacle seen by the outside. They don’t know the activity that happens inside or the steady flow of emotion that travels along the inner walls. Just think about how much we hide from everyone. What would it be like if we were just honest and raw?

Our eyes, and ears, and hands, and the entirety of our face are the only windows into our hearts. These behaviors give a glimpse of the complicated process that rings about in our minds. The fact is it’s so much easier to hide and just blend with the crowd than it is to stand out. Somewhere along the line we became convinced that different is outdated and the standards have been set. Why are there standards anyway? Only one side of our being can meet the so-called “standards”: our appearance. This is the façade, the barrier, which stands between our authentic nature and the outside world.

The curious characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde only see one view of the door; a blank, mysteriously quiet, windowless barricade. The inaccessible space inside remains unknown long enough that the door is left alone. This happens to us. We hold up a mask long enough that people begin to accept it and eventually we become lost in this lie that we ARE the person we portray day after day. You can gain acceptance from everyone around you but lose yourself in the process. When did acceptance become such a burden? Why do our souls reflect two different images? We swing personalities and eventually get caught up and confused. Our identity is blurred with our expectations, with our standards. And this all happens because we were given just a little bit of power.