Everybody knows that song by Cyndi Lauper “True Colors.” If you do not what I am talking about, the chorus goes something like this:
“And I’ll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that’s why love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow…”
Of course seeing someone’s true colors is not always that bright and peachy. We wish it would happen that way, but the truth is that it does not. I have to admit that I learned it the hard way. Sometimes you have to be careful when someone shows you more than two versions of themselves. There is usually one version of themselves when they are out in public in front of others and then the other version of themselves is when they are in a private place or with loved ones they trust. Then there are some people (a rare coincidence I believe) who are always the same. Some people have a need to hide behind masks, but that is for another time.
One of the worst parts is when you get to know someone and you think you know their true colors, when the truth is that you do not. That is one of the worst feelings in the world and trust me, I know that all too well. There is this quote by Maya Angelou (one of my favorite people who sadly passed away at least a few years ago) and she says “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” I love that quote and I have kept it close to my heart after one of my aunts told me this quote (I did not know that it was Maya at the time). I want people (who are reading this) to keep that quote in mind because there will be a time where you come across a person like that. I know it is hard, but you have to believe them the first time because you may try to deny it all you want, but that is who they are. People have to be careful because there could be that one person who they love and admire so much, but it may be a different story when you get to know them in a more private setting. All of a sudden, they are a completely different person and they are not always who they are cracked up to be.
I hope my readers keep this in mind as sometimes word travels around and you have to think about who to trust. The people around town? Yourself? Or the person you thought you knew? I hope that everybody chooses wisely and keep believing in whoever you trust the most. I know that I have said before that everybody has imperfections, but sometimes you cannot get past them. So this goes out to my readers, whoever you are. I that you all find someone who is not afraid to share their true colors with you and I hope that you are able to do the same with them (as long as it is safe and healthy). The person (or in this case I think it might be plural) who I wrote this about is a combination of different perspectives and situations. It was not ideal, but I have learned a lot from the experience with them. Learn to trust (always) and happy reading!! P.S. Since we are on the theme of true colors, I will add another poem in the mix as well.
No Hero
It was a hard pill to swallow
Because the truth hurts and
All I wanted to do was follow
In your footsteps. The sand
Was sinking me down
Until I could no longer stand.
I felt like I was going to drown,
But there was nothing I could do
To stop the whispers in this town.
Everybody was speculating and you
Were living up to the hype.
I was starting to feel like the new
Girl around these parts. I had to wipe
Away my tears before you saw
Me as weak. I was not your type
Of girl. I used to be in awe
Of you until I saw all of the ugliness.
You were no shiny medal. The flaw
In the both of us was heartless.
And the darkness of the situation
Was twirling off its axis.
Nothing was turning out to be certain
Like I thought it was going
To be. Nobody clearly won
This battle. It does have a lot of sting
Because you meant so much to me,
But we were both down to our last swing.
I could no longer let you see
Things from my perspective because
Everything had to stop and cease.
I paid no attention as each person’s jaws
Dropped to the floor because I never
Cared enough for their claws
To sink into us and pin me as the enabler.
Their golden and bad boy could
Never disappoint them. Your honor
Was never real. How I wish you would
Show the world who you really
Are and how the bad outshines the good.
People always viewed you as godly
And perfect. While I am just
An ordinary girl and I was barely
Hanging on as I was. I wanted to trust
You enough so you would never break
Me into pieces, but I was turning into dust.
Your True Colors
My feelings were hidden from view.
I never wanted to hide what
I was feeling away from you.
Deep down in my gut
And intuition was the truth
That everything was going to cut
Me deep. It did nothing to soothe
My irrational fears of you leaving.
It turned out that I saw your true
Being and colors shining
On through. I prayed for some
Miracle. I thought it would bring
You and I back in rhythm like a drum.
We got out of sync and you were no
Longer a part of this dance. I feel numb.
You and I were supposed to go slow,
But I got ahead of myself and wanted
Too much. You gave me this glow,
But it has all dimmed. The wall
That I built is going back up.
I am left wandering
This world while I suffered the blowup.
You did not have to suffer as much as I did.
You just went on like this was no breakup.
You went off the map and grid.
You vanished and disappeared altogether.
We could do nothing to stop this skid.