To be known is wonderful. Pride and ego, not the same thing by the way, urge us to be seen and heard. To her audience, my Momma would say she hated to brag, and then went right ahead and did. On a phone call home, She’d always ask Us to tell Her something good, “so she could brag”. It’s one of those forms of living out loud, and you have to be as amazing as Mom to get away with it. Yes, being known is nice, but so is anonymity.

A reputation spawns expectations. I can’t tell you how many times friends have asked me what is wrong when I have consciously made the effort to shut the f up for a minute. I can promise it is an effort…  Believe it or not, sometimes I want to be quiet.

At the core, We are all who We are. Decisions may be made to pretend to be someone else, but that is just an act. Tigers and stripes as the saying goes. We must not fool ourselves into thinking We know everything about a Person. Even those closest to us. What don’t I know about you?  Let’s suppose I know everything. That still does not mean I understand. We aren’t smart enough. We are too conditioned to judge. We are too human.

It is at the rare times of disconnection from the norm that we become anonymous. No judge and jury in site, no referee to call foul, no standard to bare. Just Us.

Whether it’s the quiet of a walk in the water, with a rod in hand, or simply a closed door in Your home, We need these times. Disconnection breathes life into connection.

I say live out loud. We all want to hear you. And take the time to disappear, it will make the notes We hear much more beautiful upon Your return.

Different makes the World better and much more interesting. Find it.

Will