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Going Beyond the Mask

I recently had a profound conversation with my sister.  We were talking about behavior labeling.  I have said that I was an introvert for years.  It’s not what I am by nature. I am an extrovert with introvert like tendencies.  However, because of life, I had adapted the full labeling of an introvert to protect myself from being hurt by others.

People have misunderstood me many times.  I have been told that I seemed aloof or standoffish.  I didn’t want to be.  Internally my inner extrovert was screaming “Here I am, let’s be friends!” The mask I wore daily in the world; to shield me from hurt said different. It screamed “Stranger danger! Be leery of new people attempting to come into your circle.”

However, I had worn the mask so long. That when I was ready to remove it, at first I didn’t know how.  Or that I still acted like I still had it on most of the time.

© 2014, Lela Jefferson Fagan. All rights reserved.

Lela Jefferson Fagan is the author of the book “Poetry of a Black Girl: The Darkness and the Light” and lead blogger at “Memoirs of a Black Girl”. Lela is an avid reader “A Real Bookworm” of all things in print. She finds joy in sharing socially and blogging about topics that matter the most to her. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Lela now lives in Houston, TX with her husband Oji, an educator and Football Coach. @LelaJFagan - See more at: http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com/

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