AHHHH!!!! DO WE HAVE TO?!
Hmmm...True Colors. I think I understand what Phil is singing about here. Yes, TRUE COLORS, as in who are we in our deepest Spirit Brilliance but even more than that, who are we in our Human Ego Perfect Imperfection. We may be able to end a yoga class (in which we have little to no interaction with anyone) and "Namaste"* the heck out of everyone. *The Light In Me Sees/Honors the Light In You. We can honor and see these people in a quiet well conducted YOGA class because we expect we know what the class will be doing, what people will be doing, how they will be dressed, the behavior of the participants, and the give and take expectations. I suppose people could have some "True Colors" bursting out based on their clothing choice, and variations in yoga movements. Their OWN True Colors may come forth to them during this great process, however we usually don't have a well rounded experience of these people by which to test out an authentic relationship during YOGA. As in many circumstances, there is a code, spoken or unspoken, which a group abides by and people are either rewarded or punished based on their ability to first pick up on any community code of behavior, second to understand this code, third to decipher the hierarchy of the community, fourth to execute said code so that the leaders of the community approve and include us in the community.
We find ourselves in communities by default, but also by choice. A community can be established as a religious institution, a sports team, an educational pedagogy, or a social movement.
This year for my birthday, my daughter made a hilarious book for me filled with stories about me. This page displayed here one of my favorites because it completely displays my authenticity.
This page is listed under Chapter 2; "All the Things Our Mom Broke When We Were Little."
The background context from which this is written is that "Rats Have Rights" is one of the first bumper stickers that I ever put on my car as well as it was a pin that I wore on my jacket or on my hippie purse. I have been a vegetarian and then a vegan for over twenty years and I absolutely love animals. I stop in the middle of traffic (safely) to escort snapping turtles across the road, and one of my "greatest ideas" was to have a small animal euthanasia kit in my car so that when I came across a dying animal on the road, I could humanely ease its suffering (don't worry, like many of my "greatest ideas", this one never came into fruition either as I suspect it is highly illegal).
Last spring during a dark night, a car in front of my daughter's car hit a feral cat on Nantucket and sped off, leaving the suffering animal in the road. We immediately stopped and I jumped out, easing this huge gorgeous tiger of a creature into my warm arms for the drive to the animal hospital. I fell in love with him instantly and cried when I called the next day when I found out that he had died after a courageous night of reviving himself.
People know me as this person that I just crafted that animal loving paragraph about....and I am. I have been known to feed the mice around the homestead and will only use the traps that capture the mice safely and with a hearty snack. Then I drive five thousand miles away to release them in some house mice reservation.
AND....guess what? As beautifully illustrated in daughter Alli's book, I took a stick and clubbed a rat once! There were rats knawing in the walls of the house. Every night I heard them, and I imagined that during one of those nights, one of those football sized monsters was going to take his last big chomp, propel himself out into Baby Alli's room, and start eating her.
THAT is when another of my True Colors came out! As Alli so perfectly put in a word bubble for me on this page in the book, " My name is Aileen McConnell. You threatened my daughter. Prepare to die."
I laughed so hard when I came to that page in the book about me. Alli nailed the beauty of complete, real, raw, complex, human authenticity.
Today reveal all to yourself about your own True Colors of Being Authentic. Look around at when and where you skimp on being authentic because it doesn't match what you project, or even know pretty surely, is the code of community. Check out your fears about not being accepted if you show your True Colors of Authenticity.
How have you attached to a persona or story about yourself that is not true in its whole nature or perhaps isn't true anymore at all? When do you hold back your participation and engagement in life because you devalue your True Colors of Authenticity?
Today is a first day to get out there in your FULL TRUE COLORS of BEING AUTHENTIC and let it rip!! ROCK IT and ENJOY!!! REVEAL IT, LIVE IT, and SEE HOW MUCH FUN YOU TRULY HAVE!
Today let it be the first day to begin to smile, laugh, and be totally cool with the True Colors of Being Authentic.
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