Since it’s Halloween, let’s talk about this one day a year (or so we think), when we get to dress up and be someone else for a short period of time. Ironically, being someone else on Halloween is not only allowed, but that’s how you “do” Halloween. That’s the whole point…to be someone else.
Interestingly enough, the rest of the year, many, if not all of us, continue to wear invisible masks in order to “do” life. The more invisible masks we wear, the more complicated life becomes. We have our home masks and our work masks; our party masks and our “I’m okay” masks. We have our “I’m confident” masks and our “I’m not going to let them see me cry” masks.
What if, just for one day, we didn’t wear any masks and our inner and outer life was congruent? What if we were authentically ourselves and let Halloween do it’s job once a year, instead of the dressing up and pretending lasting all year long, for our whole life?
How might this world be a different place if we acknowledged our pain, sadness and grief? Our lack of confidence and our loneliness? What if we were exactly who we are?
I’m venturing to guess that what we’d see is that we are so much more alike than different. We are all suffering in some way and we are all experiencing some kind of joy too. We might see more of ourselves in others because now instead of looking at others and seeing their masks, we look and see ourselves reflected in someone else. We exchange metaphorical Masks for metaphorical Mirrors.
And…if I look at you and see a part of myself, aren’t I more likely to feel connected to you?
Yes. I certainly am.
Perks of being a counselor:
Having a job that has taught me to take off my mask and see a part of myself in every encounter with another person so that I can connect, empathize and “see” them for who they really are instead of who society tells them they should be.
And oh my goodness the beauty that unfolds when a human being is really “seen” and “heard”!!! ❤️
Perks of Being a Counselor 