Behind the mask...

"We all have a face that we hide away forever.  We take it out and show ourselves when everyone is gone."  ~Billy Joel - The Stranger

I'm not a huge Billy Joel fan (nothing personal) but this is one of those songs that really hits home for me.

Isn't this just easier?

It's no secret that I've had some crap in my life.  Some of it I've dealt with.  Other stuff, well I put on a good face.

My mask.

You know those people that strut around with a big ol smile plastered on their face?
The person who carries around a big old jar of crap with a pretty label on it.  You  may even be envious of that pretty jar, having no clue that the stuff inside really stinks.  The person carrying the jar is merely hiding the crap behind the smile.  Behind the mask.

Don't we all wear a mask of some sort??  Something that we want to hide away forever.  That one thing that makes you think... no, I don't want anyone to ever know that.

This line of thinking brings Bernie Madoff'esque people to mind.
The people looking to maintain the "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" image.  I often wonder...Did he start off as a major DB or did he work his way up to it?  Did he start off as a nice guy who just wanted to give his family a good life?
So he worked hard and life got better & better.
Until the day his wife couldn't get that Bentley?  Was it that day that he thought hmmm - If I take a little from here to give my wife the Bentley, I'll pay it back when this one over here comes in... no one will notice.  Then it got easier and easier to take it & never pay back??? 
This is hypothetical, of course.

I'm off track - I know.  My brain has been a muddy mess lately.  My point here is - was he so busy trying to maintain his outside label, that the jar of crap just over flowed?  Did he care so much about the image - the mask, that he just said the hell with the rest?

This is the other side of the mask, I know.

Some people hide their pain behind their mask.  They wear a smile and shed tears of a clown.

Some flaunt their riches, knowing they can't pay the huge mortgage for their mansion.

Others pretend to be hard to shield their soft and vulnerable hearts.

The mask of the beautiful woman, with no self esteem.
The strong, handsome man - with no clue how to live life.

What mask do you wear?

Do you take it off & show yourself when everyone has gone?

Or have you accepted yourself for who you are?

Thank you for reading my blog!

Warm hugs & big smoochies to you all.

~Jenn