Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. (Dr. Seuss)
I guess this quote might fall under more of an acceptance or tolerance heading, but I was thinking from more of a love or friendship viewpoint when I chose it for this week’s quote.
Yep, being yourself is a valuable quality to possess. I’ve been trying to find these people all my life. I respect the a-hole who shows me 100% of his a-hole self more than the a-hole who tries to hide behind the person he thinks he should be or the person he wishes he would be. Or worse yet, the a-hole who knows he’s an a-hole but hides himself in an effort to bait people into knowing him, only to reveal his true a-hole self once the other person is interested and invested in the other person he portrayed himself to be. The point is, if this a-hole would just be real 100% of the time he would very likely find someone who appreciated him, genuinely cared about him and accepted him for just the way he is.
I’ve always enjoyed being around people who were just cool with themselves; they knew who they were as individuals, they knew how they thought on certain subjects and they never tried to hide their feelings. I will never fault someone for having their own beliefs or viewpoints. I’m all about sharing differing opinions and still coming out friends on the other side of the discussion. You should never have to change who you are to be friends with someone else. Acceptance and tolerance should be a given in a true friendship.
So show your true colors, share your deepest feelings, and you’ll find the people who love you, despite any less-than-desirable traits, are your true allies. Those are the people worth holding onto. Those are the people who really do care about you.