What If We Were Real?

I love Mandisa's music. Especially her album "Stronger". I listened to it over and over when I would go for a run. I mean, who wouldn't want to listen to the words "Hold on just a little bit longer, this is going to make you stronger!" when you are pounding dirt on your final mile? I also had a dear friend run alongside and play the song "Overcomer" for me when I was running a half-marathon for the first time. Needless to say, the music holds a lot of great memories. Victory moments.

One of this artist's songs holds words that say this;

What if I shared my brokenness, what if you shared how you feel? What if we weren't afraid of this crazy mess? What if we were real?

I still haven't found the courage to make this blog public to my friends, and people that I know. I think it is because of the deep vulnerability and raw realness that I have to portray to make it work. To be real to myself and relate-able to my readers.

When the above lyrics were circulating in my head this morning (you know, in that annoying, song-is-stuck-in-my-head kind of way), I began to think "Ya, what if we were real?". What if everyone was honest about themselves and didn't always find a need to but on a show so that the people they share their life with wouldn't see their struggle?

(Don't get me wrong, I in no means am referring to the kind of "real" that has one constantly complaining. I am talking sharing struggles for the benefit and uplifting of others.)

I think we do, I do such a grand job of hiding the real person that I am. Building walls around the heartache and hardship so that others don't see the struggle. Hiding the testimony that I could share with the ones dealing with the same bondage because I am ashamed of the mess I created to reach freedom. Not admitting to brokenness because of the fear that people will see me differently.

Showing vulnerability is not easy. It is hard to turn your heart inside out and make visible the mess that is inside.

But you don't have the beauty without the broken.