A Myriad of Masks

"There we go. A lot of brown paint. There. I know you're sitting at home saying 'boy he's messed up this time'.  And you may be right. Let's just see what happens here..."-Bob Ross, 1985

Bob Ross always says it best. Remember his painting show? I used to watch it with my grandfather when I was little. I still remember his big, bushy beard and pale blue button up shirts. And while the quote is a bit of a nostalgic tribute, it's also because I've been thinking about perfection; our aspirations and unavoidable failures on the road there. Good thing Jesus is patient and works everything together for our good. Between my strive for perfection and his grace over my pride...it ends up alright in the end.

Myself, like many others, in a desperate effort to keep my accolades as someone who has it together, who is strong, who is worthy of love (and thereby perfect) have possessed a myriad of masks that I have donned my entire young adult life. These masks are tightly clutched in my hands at times and at other times, completely thrown to the ground (and then picked up again and dusted off). I think that constant, internal battle is natural, though. I think it's also natural that we are constantly fighting to throw out said masks like an old t-shirt you continue saying should be kept around.

In honor of this, I have made a small list I was just amusing myself with tonight that includes a random assortment of activities, character traits, or daily life happenings that I assume everyone else in the world is perfect at and I wish I did. After all, C.S. Lewis said, “We read to know we’re not alone". And maybe some of these have space in your inner worlds, as well. Either way, this is my symbolic liberation of the masks!

(Clause: These are extremes and not necessarily norms. My pride makes me throw this clause in here. I am, for the most part, an organized, clean, and semi-aware individual)

• Wash the dish: Sometimes, I leave the crusty dishes that the dishwasher couldn't even win a battle with instead of taking them out and scrubbing them.
• Hang my clothes up: I don't always hang my clothes back up when I come in the house after work.
• Selfishness with chores: If I don't deal with it, Kimberly will.
• Rational thought: I get mad at people for being rude, aggressive drivers even if I mimicked the same behavior 5 seconds prior (or directly after).
• Self-discipline: Chronicles of Narnia has replaced more Jesus dates than I care to count.
• Put my phone away: Texting and driving. Really?
• Toilet time:  I do not always flush the toilet in the middle of the night.(It's too loud, ok)

I have been convinced that everyone else does all of these things I fail to do.
While these are not the most interesting examples, you get the idea.
Maybe you could jot down a few off the top of your head. Chances are I do it, too. And so does Sally.
At any rate, I'm all for giving the most seemingly insignificant moments a sly potency.
Cheers to the funny little things we try and hide.

mp