Be Thyself

GUEST BLOGGER Sabrina Tan honours us again with a piece consonant with her maiden piece Desiderata of Happiness last Sunday with her arriving at some crossroads, quite normal in any youth's travel in this journey of Life. She shares with us some innermost thoughts about being youself, and the people and environment that impact on a young person trying very hard indeed to be that unique Self that the Supreme Being -- however you conceive Him to be -- has ordained her/him to be. Enjoy!

BEING YOURSELF

Have you ever thought to yourself over and over again that what you are today is not actually your true self?

I always have this question on my mind, and sometimes I am torn between my true self and who I am expected to be in society.

It’s saddens me sometimes when I think the people closest to me don’t even know who I am exactly.

People have this image of me as being serious, intellectual and responsible but few people know that there is also another side of me that is compassionate, fun, caring, etc.

This leads me to think that one can truly be happy if you are just BEING YOURSELF.

Sometimes we might lose some of the essence of ourselves because of society’s expectations, familial pressure and also because of the personal experience that we have been through in life.

I have to admit that I have lost some of that as well and also because I had to conform to the expectations presented by everyone around me.

I have learnt that we shouldn’t be ashamed of who we are, regardless what kind of personality we may possess.

It’s easier said than done you can say, because at different circumstances we may project different facades of ourselves. At work, we may appear to be serious; at home (depending on the family members) we may either be very comical and hilarious, or we can be the responsible and sensible one. With our friends, we just reveal the side of us that we feel that would be accepted by our peers.

It seems to me that sometimes we all have different personalities. Then what is exactly the true you?

One’s true self is when one is totally most comfortable with oneself. You know that you won’t be judged by revealing the true character and nature of yourself by the people around at that time. I had that feeling before where I felt totally comfortable with myself with one of my best friends because I knew that no matter what I say or do, he won’t judge me for the things that I have done. Your friends should be the ones who are able to accept you for who you are. This, is also a form of happiness by just being YOU.

You are also being you where you are very comfortable with whatever decisions that you make regarding life. You know the pros and cons of your decision, but the most important thing is that you won’t regret what you have decided. Life is too short for regrets, so we should start seeing that we live our lives as how we want to live, not by the expectations of others.

Desiderata: Well said, Sabrina. If I were a philosophy teacher, or a better word, Mentor, I would be proud to have THEE as one of my students.

At this moment, let me recall fromMax EHRMANN's desiderata:
Be yoursel. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

So Sabrina, the world is in a state of flux, and as circumstances, we change, we adapt in order to survive -- a better word, in a better phrase, in order to grow ourselves -- but AlWays, as you also srive to be -- Be Thyself, but with a Caring Heart, and a Discerning Mind.

PS: I share with a poem I composed reflecting my feelings as a teenager eons years ago ... does this strike a chord in thy heart, young Sabrina?

Colour me not

You want to be the mould
Making me the clay to shape
But in your hands I can't bend
I can't grow

You want to be the painter
Making me the canvas
But I like not your colours
I even hate the frame!

Colour me not then
For I have my own vision
I'd like to weave my own hues
And define my own contours

You can't even begin the sketch the outline
of my being
How can you start to add the strokes?

Leave me alone
For only I can feel the emotions in my breast

Don't colour me, don't even try
For you'd only scar
The landcape of my mind
YLChong

Message to Readers, especially the youths with crossroads struggles in their mind, feel free to use my Blog as a most welcome Guest to share your writings. Email to chongyl2000@yahoo.com. ENJOY!