Many Masks

You wear many masks to ‘appear’ in the day to deal with people you meet and circumstances. A way that you want the others to see you as.

Life is all about replacing masks with élan right from a young age. I remember the time when my Mother said, “Don’t open your mouth in front of Aunt”…you had to put on a mask of being a ‘quiet child’. Or when she said, “Finish off everything in the plate like a good girl”…when visiting a family friend’s house, when actually I found the food spicy. I had to put on a mask of being an obedient, good girl. I was not either.

You step out of the house, there are innumerable masks that you change in matter of seconds…as the need be. Many a times it is puzzling to me, who am I actually? The person at home, or at work, or with friends, or a little of all.

And then comes a person with whom you can let down your masks. You can be yourself. The ease with which one can interact, find oneself, enjoy the company, find peace, find your purpose….

After a time in age one is fed up of putting on false masks. That is when you really know who stays and who goes. Or worse still one becomes an introvert. Liking ones company where you can be yourself, non judgmental, non opiniated. The world suddenly becomes a lovely space to be in.

Have you experienced this duality and how did you cope?