I want to see you completely naked. I want to see you with your guard down, and your humanity laid bare with raw emotions and uncontrolled truth. I want to see who you really are inside beyond the fake and fluff, beyond the public image you have so superbly created.
I want to see you, real.
Thanks to the network of socializing we spew out our thoughts and actions as if we are center stage on Broadway. But how much of what we share is what we really think or feel? When was the last time we had an honest conversation about who we are and who we want to be? When was the last time the real you came out to play?
There is no shame in wanting to belong and wanting to be accepted; it is a universal desire. However, there is no acceptance by others until you find the courage to accept yourself. You must find the strength to acknowledge your humanity before you can expect the same from us.
How long will you continue to carefully construct your image for the world to see? How long will you stuff your humanity inside, hiding it away from the eyes that judge. It is easier to say things that you know people want to hear, isn't it? To censure your words and stifle your emotions is the path of least resistance.
I want to see you naked. I want to tear away your facade and witness your vulnerabilities. I want to revel in your flaws and commiserate with your blemishes. I want to share my humanity with yours and praise your courage in finding your own truth.
Were I to claim one characteristic it would be honesty. Of all of the traits I own, my ability to speak truth would be the one I cling to most vehemently. Who I am is the person I need to be, and the person you are inside is the real one. Your imperfections are marks of beauty, branding you as unique and shouting to the world that your humanity is to be treasured, not hidden.
I want to get to know the you that you have inside because love is based on truth, and love is the purest thing of all. Without love, we have nothing of worth. Without love our lives hold no value. To really love we need honesty. We need a shared humanity, which requires the truth be laid bare.
I believe in a God that is love. He created us out of love and calls us to love each other with no judgment, no falsity. As a fellow human I offer you my love and friendship, no matter where you are in your journey. But first I want to see the real you. The you that matters.
Should you find it difficult to open up and expose your raw humanity, you are not alone. I have faced that dragon and slain him, and I can tell you that it is worth the fight.
