Who They Really Are

Good Day Beloved,

Per usual I have been ruminating on a thought lately. Have you ever heard the saying, “when someone shows you who they really are, believe them.” I am a believer.  I have been thinking a lot lately about people and times from my personal history. I embrace the thinking that I will take people at face value until they prove me wrong. Sadly, this method of operation can lead to a lot of pain on my part.

I try really hard to be transparent with everyone so that I am not the source of someone else’s pain. I think if you want to know who some really is quickly, ask them a question that involves religion and sexual/gender identity. Those two topics seem to be triggers for a lot of people.

I was quickly dismissed as a person of value by a whole church when the fact that my spouse and I were both assigned female at birth could no longer be ignored. I will never be convinced that Jesus applauded that move on their part. I think He cried with me over their choice.

Why do people feel the need to put up false faces? Beloved can you answer that question for me? I seriously don’t understand that. I must admit that I have not always adhered to the transparency philosophy. I did put up a front as a way to try to protect myself because I did not want to get hurt. I tried to make people think I was tougher than I really was. I thought that if I could make people believe they couldn’t hurt me they wouldn’t bother trying. It didn’t work.

I finally got to a place where I decided it was too much work to keep the false front intact. So, now, what you see is what you get. These days I am fairly selective as to who I let into my world, at least face to face. This is what I try to tell myself anyway.

I shared a couple things with a friend the other day and she said I should not give up hope on people and not totally cut myself off. What do you think about that Beloved? Is she right? She probably is, she a smart one.

I am happy here with my critters. I always know that what you see is what you get with them.  You know when it comes right down to the bottom line. I wish people would just be their true selves right from the get-go. I don’t even care so much if they are jerks or not.

If who you really are is a jackass, don’t waste time and energy trying to be something different. If you have a hard time with a certain kind of folk, put it out there in plain sight. Just don’t be offended if someone disagrees with you. We have the hard-earned freedom here where I am to think what we want to and usually to say what we think. Disagreeing is OK, good even. Acting out and trying to force others to think and believe that your way is the only way, is not OK.

If you don’t like what I write, DO NOT READ IT.  If you don’t like what the people at the church / synagogue / steak house down the road believe, DO NOT GO THERE. Disagreeing is a fine thing. Shooting, bombing, disfiguring, defacing, or purposely hurting is NOT OK.

Every person ever created past, present, and future have just as much right to live and are equally worthy as you. Obey the law that governs your land, Live and let live. If there is something or someone immoral or breaking the law or purposely hurting someone. Find an appropriate response. Guns would not qualify as an appropriate response.

Again, this is all just my thoughts. If you do not like what you read, STOP READING. End of story.

Beloved, be who you really are.

Beloved, be proud and out loud.

Beloved, blessed be…

Mona LangmaackMelin