I think we all try to be acceptable to our world but how authentic are we really? Do we post on social media the pictures of life without “doctoring” the look? Do we post reality? What is reality anyway?
Remember the movie “The Ten Commandments”? Cecil B Demill director and narrator captivated my youthful mind with grand words, narration and what I thought to be the Bible, told perfectly… Of course now I realize that although basically it’s told in earnest detail as the bible told this story, there is an overlap of directors privilege. I remember Charlton Heston dressed in his Hebrew attire, But he wasn’t really a Hebrew.
And let us not forget Yvonne De Carlo playing the role of Saphora, moses wife, you may remember her role as “Mrs Munster” as well as so many other roles, she was a very accomplished actress. She acted, she was not actually those people, it was pretend.
We can dismiss these three celebrities as fakes because we understand this was acting? Because this was not reality? Who is the most Authentic? Are you authentic? Am I authentic? What does it mean to be authentic in real life?
Are you convincing in the role you are playing on social media?
In life I want to be authentic but I also love playing roles of other characters on stage. I’m certainly no Yul Brynner, but I do enjoy acting. Authenticity is important to me, is it authentic when we post only the smiling faces of our life? Is it authentic to show all the “Nice days” and never the sad days? The bad hair days? Pictures tainted by photoshop? Faces that are “staged”? Covered in “makeup”?
Recently a friend posted about the passing of their friend, a beloved dog, it was authentically Honest. The passing of a pet is painful. The real emotions help you realize your faithful friend is no longer going to meet you at the door, with tail wagging and looking so happy you are once again reunited… It’s priceless memories that help us realize what’s truly important in life.
I remember a joke from long ago: If you really want to know who loves you more, lock your wife and your dog in the trunk of your car, drive 10 miles, open the trunk and see which one is happy to see you… Please don’t actually do this. But the Dog is always happiest when they are reunited with you, authentically happy. Imagine being so happy to be reunited with your best friend that everytime you were separated all you wanted was to get back together, regardless of the cause of separation.
Today, go live in an authentic way, be real, be yourself, show someone you are happy to see them after you are “hypothetically” locked in their trunk. Show a smiling face regardless of how your hair looks. Be genuinely happy that you have one more day with your beloved friend that meets you at the door, wagging their tail.
It’s time to head to church now. Maybe today we can all show someone how important they really are to us. Maybe you can only pretend? Even if it’s an act, play that role with all your heart. In time, your heart will slowly change and your tail will start to wag a little bit more each time. Living an authentic life is absolutely important but your authentic self can change when you are real to your self first.
This may seem like I am saying “wear your true self on your sleeve so everyone knows who you are” but in reality, try being true to your self first so you can see how to change into the person you ought to be. Rather that faking what others see, become what you want others to see.
Proverb 15:13–15: “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed”
Charlie, The actor.