Masks

I went to the local IGA for a few things today.  The young cashier said "How are you today?"  It was said because that is just what you do, and I answered, "good, thanks."  I then paused for a second, looked up at her and said "Actually, I am very frustrated right now.  So thanks for asking."  She smiled and talked a little about herself and mood swings.  We had a very short, and real conversation.  I realize that she got to talk about herself, and so did I.  It seemed good for both of us.

A have a friend who is ALWAYS pushing me to learn new things.  She mails me books, or meets me to give them to me.  The latest one she gave me is about the masks people wear.  It is really, really messing with my head.  It is called TrueFaced, trust God and others with who you really are.  He breaks down people into basically 3 different masks.
 - Doing just fine
 -Those searching for the next 'new' technique
 -The Pedigreed mask

I usually fit into the 'doing just fine' mask.  This is the mask that I put on a long time ago in order to reconcile my feelings.  It is what I wear because it protects the people that hurt me.  If I'm 'doing just fine', then no one did anything wrong.  I've come to expect that people expect me to have this mask on.  It makes a dysfunctional system work.  It also helps the Pedigreed Mask wearer continue believing that her world is perfect. 

I've become tired of working in systems where we all wear masks.  I've spent too much time taking mine off and discovering who I really am.  Quite frankly, I am really struggling with this ache I have to be in authentic community with others.  I feel this struggle among people who insist that mask wearing is the way of the world. 

The point of this book is simple:  God loved us before we put our masks on, loves us without or masks.  I suspect that God even loves us with the mask on.

Taking care of our masks takes so much of our time and energy.  I wonder what the world would be like if we put our effort into loving each other instead of constructing masks.  I wonder where we would be if we trusted God and others with who we really are.