“Let’s be
real”
You hear
this statement a lot, don’t you? I do.
What is Real?
Is it:
Real: Verifiable as actual fact.
Or:
Real: Everyone is saying this word
‘Real’ so let me also add it to what I say, so I can be using the in-word.
What do
people mean when they say “let’s be real” ? The funny part is that, most times,
that statement is immediately followed with a lie or a lot of fake-ness. So now ‘being real’ is just
a cool thing to say huh?
For
instance,
¥ “Let’s be real, I don’t care how hungry I am, I will never stoop low to
stealing” Big-attitude
Lady informs a group of eager young girls. The same lady who recently cheated
her partner of the partner’s share in a business they did together. Perhaps her
‘realness’ is in ‘not stooping low’ to take 500 Naira or 1000 Naira from
someone’s purse, I mean, come on! But for Big-attitude Lady, from 20,000 Naira
upwards is fair game.
¥ “Come on, let’s be real, she’s my girlfriend, if I want her to put out,
she should. Why is she making it a big deal, know what I’m sayin?” Irritated Guy says to a group of
impressed friends, all nodding in solidarity with him. The same Guy who almost
cut off his sister’s head, preaching to her that she has started fornicating,
because he saw her kissing her boyfriend. Hi Irritated Guy, just want to remind
you that your girlfriend is someone else’s sister too Bro, know what I’m sayin?
¥ “Let’s even be real, why all this nonsense?! When I was in school, I kept
my head in my books always, stayed away from trouble. Why are you so different?!” Angry Father asks depressed Son. The
same Father who had a two-year whirl-wind adventure with a Cult Group when he
was in the University. You have every right to be upset Angry Father, why is
Johnny Junior ‘so different?’, kids of nowadays huh?
When I first read the words on the left, I thought “It can’t be that bad” But looking at the world
today, IT ACTUALLY IS THAT BAD.
These days, people are so focused on ‘performing’.
They want to-
o
Please
a group of people (you must like me).
o
Get
accepted (I must join you).
o
Get
noticed (it’s by force).
o
Impress
someone/people (please see me, I’m cool like dat).
o
Project
a certain personality (I have natural swag).
o
Pretend
to be someone else (this is the real me o).
o
Get
approval (do you like me now?).
-they do
this so much that they lose their identity.
You wake up
one day, look into the mirror and wonder who you are. By the time you start asking yourself these
questions: “Who should I be today? –The Snobbish One? -The Uber Stylish One? -The Classy/Rich One? -The Friendly One? -The Moody One? --The Brilliant One? -The American/British accent One? --The Deep Philosophical One? or The Funny One?
You should
be scared if you’ve gotten to this level. I mean, you should be really scared!
Multiple Personality Disorder comes to mind at this point (You should probably
download the movie ‘SPLIT’, starring James McAvoy). It’s a fearful life when
you can’t really define yourself.
When last
did you ask this question; Who Am I Really? What have I become? What do I
represent? What image do I project? If someone were to describe me, what would
they say?
Perform this exercise; Ask the person (not) closest to you to describe you in five words. What’s
the first word that comes out of their mouth? (Please make sure it’s not
someone close to you, it should be someone you’ve had an opportunity to interact
with for a time. Those close to you might be biased).
On a final
note, if you’ve lost yourself along the way due to insane pressure to present
an image you think others might be impressed with, so you can fit in, it's time
to find yourself again.
Get back to your identity; get in line with who God
made you to be. Man didn’t create you, why do they have to force you into their
own image?
Most important,
why are you molding you into someone you too can’t recognise? You are who you are, You are who
God made you, You are beautiful in your own way.
When you get
back to that person you were before you started wearing various identities,
then you finally know what REAL means. That’s when you truly start to live My
Dear!
