speaking the truth

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

--Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

A dear friend of mine posted this quote on her facebook page the other day.  I am so extremely embarrassed to admit:  when I first read it, I scoffed a little-- simply because it was a Dr. Seuss quote.  It happened too quickly to realize what was going on, but I think if I could have put words to it, the monologue would have ran something like, "What does he know?  All he did was write a bunch of silly kids books."

Right.  "Silly kids books"-- over 46 of them.  Books that some consider are singlehandedly responsible for making reading fun for kids.  Books that have been turned into movies and academy award-winning short films.  This, from a guy who went to Dartmouth, has illustrated for and been published in Life and Vanity Fair, and was (and still is) a world-renowned liberal and humanist.  (And was probably rich to boot!)  Ok Melissa. 

I have a long way to go on being rich, unless I can stop thinking dumb shit without even realizing it. 

Furthermore, since coming across it, I have not been able to get this quote out of my head.  I was thinking about it this morning, as I was updating my linkedin page, and noticing how, in the section under "blog", I had chosen not to put down the address of this very blog that you are reading.  And it made me start to question:  why is it that we choose to hide some things about ourselves, and not others?  Because if our man Theo is right, and "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind"...

... Is all this discretion really and truly necessary?  

Living with my mom has been so interesting.  I see her a strong woman with a lot of insightful, and sometimes wonderfully controversial, thoughts and opinions about people and things.  I am her daughter, so naturally I get to hear things she says that other people do not get to hear-- especially concerning feelings she has towards and about others.  And yet, sometimes, when I ask her, "Well Mom, why don't you just say that to such and such a person?"  I've heard her respond:  "Melissa, you can't actually say that, nobody actually says that."  (Only to me, I guess, because I am her daughter.)

Well, why not?  Why can't we actually say the things we actually think and feel?  If we have a thought or opinion, aren't we entitled (and dare I say, maybe even a little compelled?) to share it?  And what is so bad about what all of us are thinking, that we have to pretend that we are not thinking it?  Shouldn't the fact that are alive and trying our best be enough?

My first thought, when I thought about publishing this website on my linkedin page was:  "Oh, absolutely not, can't do that.  Surefire way to discourage any potential employers."

But, at the end of the day, do I really want to be hired by those employers?  Don't I want to be hired by an employer that can value and appreciate me exactly the way I am?  Are there any such employers out there even, and if so, would I even want to work for their company?  (If they are out there, I doubt they are on linkedin, because fat lot of good signing up for that website has done me.)

--

I think I figured out why I can not post this on my linked in page.

Somewhere inside there is a part of me, that wants to live an alternative life that is not myself.  In my professional job, I want to an opportunity to highlight some of my best and most favorite personality traits, but not reveal all of them.  I am seeking an environment where I can put forth an image-- where I can play a role, like an actress so to speak-- and then return home to a private and safe space where I can live and be my "real" and "authentic" self.  Essentially, I want to play and be different things for and with different people in different environments, but not be the same person all the time in all places. Why do I want to do this?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it is more fun that way?  Or maybe I don't really want to do it.  Maybe I just think I want to do it because the "professional" world seems like a judgmental and unfriendly place.

But do I have to see it that way? 

Comments/ thoughts/ insights on this subject would be most helpful/ appreciated.  Or maybe I am the only person out there that ever thinks (hyper-incessantly and analytically) about things like this? 


Link to my linkedin page.