The Mask of Maturity
Masks seem to be a word synonymous with personality and barriers.
'They' say that people put on masks to cover their true self, and only take off the mask in front of those they trust. Some may take off certain masks for certain people, and put on different masks for different people as well.
So, is maturity a mask as well? When we grow older, do we don a mask as we change, adding layer after layer until what we are is the person we once were? Covering it up until that person we once were is almost non-existent?
I like to think about it differently. I think we only have one mask from birth.
(As with most of these posts, I'm only articulating these thoughts on the spot, so it may not come out exactly as I feel. Please bear with me.)
As we grow, even without our knowing, the mask changes, it cracks, it becomes discoloured. But, like the ship of Theseus, we repair it, we fix the cracks, we put the colour back in as best we can. It never returns to the way it once was though, and so when we notice the one untarnished spot on our mask we guard it jealously from everyone and everything that could harm it.
As we stand our metaphorical vigil to protect that part of the mask, we may only show parts of the mask to certain people. "Here, you get to see the part on the top right, I've dealt with ones like you and if I show you this part you'll ignore the rest." Or: "You can't see the top right of my mask, but maybe the bottom left and middle because it's like you."
We show different facets of our personality depending on the person, but each facet we show is still part of the same whole, still shades of what we are now.
When we let people in closer, we gradually let them see more of the mask, more of what makes us us, and that person gets closer to the unharmed portion of the mask.
I prefer to think of myself as whole, rather than in layers. Layers, or constantly taking off and putting on different masks, make it seem like we are creating a façade, a fake personality to suit the situation, rather than showing a true part of who we are.
A bit of the truth sounds better than all of a lie, wouldn't you say?
'They' say that people put on masks to cover their true self, and only take off the mask in front of those they trust. Some may take off certain masks for certain people, and put on different masks for different people as well.
So, is maturity a mask as well? When we grow older, do we don a mask as we change, adding layer after layer until what we are is the person we once were? Covering it up until that person we once were is almost non-existent?
I like to think about it differently. I think we only have one mask from birth.
(As with most of these posts, I'm only articulating these thoughts on the spot, so it may not come out exactly as I feel. Please bear with me.)
As we grow, even without our knowing, the mask changes, it cracks, it becomes discoloured. But, like the ship of Theseus, we repair it, we fix the cracks, we put the colour back in as best we can. It never returns to the way it once was though, and so when we notice the one untarnished spot on our mask we guard it jealously from everyone and everything that could harm it.
As we stand our metaphorical vigil to protect that part of the mask, we may only show parts of the mask to certain people. "Here, you get to see the part on the top right, I've dealt with ones like you and if I show you this part you'll ignore the rest." Or: "You can't see the top right of my mask, but maybe the bottom left and middle because it's like you."
We show different facets of our personality depending on the person, but each facet we show is still part of the same whole, still shades of what we are now.
When we let people in closer, we gradually let them see more of the mask, more of what makes us us, and that person gets closer to the unharmed portion of the mask.
I prefer to think of myself as whole, rather than in layers. Layers, or constantly taking off and putting on different masks, make it seem like we are creating a façade, a fake personality to suit the situation, rather than showing a true part of who we are.
A bit of the truth sounds better than all of a lie, wouldn't you say?
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