I See You

I am not in the business of putting people on pedestals.  There is too much effort and disappointment involved in crafting and sculpting—gingerly making sure each piece fits properly to create a sturdy foundation—only to have it all topple before your eyes.  The illusion shatters before you even have a chance to admire your own handiwork.  

I have fallen from far too many pedestals myself.  Placed gently upon the top, only to retain glory for a fraction of time before teetering and losing balance, falling slowly to the ground until my body crumples, broken and ashamed.  Feeling regret that I was unable to live up to the person another saw in me, my ideal who is beautiful and selfless and untouchable.  The slight aftertaste of self-loathing soon follows, chased away by a hefty dose of resentment as I see the disappointment in the eyes that once held me in such high regard.

There is much more beauty to be had in reality.  Our perceptions are shallow and unsustainable, cruel and impossible to attain.  We often view all the good in a person under a microscope, not allowing room for any negative particles.  This stunts growth and acceptance, creating a reality that is built on dishonesty and expectation.  We inadvertently abort future emotional education, denying ourselves the beauty of discovering the hidden nooks and crannies of those we surround ourselves with.

We are all vulnerable.  We fear exposing ourselves and facing blatant rejection of our weakest parts.  Yet we often do not extend the same acceptance and gentility we crave to those around us.  

So, I just wanted you to know I see you.  Feet planted firmly on the ground with the rest of us, flaws shining and tangible.  You are beautiful in your imperfection, reachable in a way that allows me to glorify in my own brokenness, unashamed.  You are a mirror image; your cracks differ from mine but there is comfort in seeing our asymmetrical similarities.  

I relish in your dark corners, cobwebs and dust collecting in the spaces that rarely see the light.  The cubby holes and forgotten drawers that house your fears and regrets, nestled atop a bed of insecurity and mistakes.  I cherish the glimpses because they make your light so much brighter.  They make you real and fallible; human, just like me.  I can see the limitlessness of your worth, intuit the vastness of your spirit and delight in accepting that to know you fully would take more than a lifetime.

I see you in the ways I wish to be seen, honestly and without judgment.  I see you, complex and lovely and crippled in the ways we all are.  I see you.