In lieu of him sharing his own thoughts, I'll let you in on what he taught me...
What bonds people together stronger than anything is their flaws.
We all have them, and we all hide them. That is, until we find someone whom we trust enough to let in and see our shit (all the stuff we call "baggage" and throw into the back closet so it doesn't scare people off).
Now, that's not to say that happiness and excitement are ingenuine, or that we should all dwell on the ugly things in life. But to get to a place where your happiness is genuine, you first have to be brave, acknowledge the ugly stuff, and either embrace it or change.
It's funny: I've bonded more with my ex-sorority sisters over feeling like we don't fit in with that crowd than I ever did with those same girls during rush or when we were so excited about pledging.
Mean people finish last.
There's a certain poison in the air on this campus. Particularly among the girls. People get mean because they think they have to in order to keep their heads above water.
Insecurity leads to competition, which leads to fake friendships, fake personalities, and more insecurity, which leads to everyone wanting to transfer. But come on, all these concerns--looks, money, Facebook pictures, hook-ups, clothes--are far too temporary and unfulfilling to get worked up over. Now, that's not to say that I'm in any way above caring about such things. In fact, I struggle every day worrying about my image and what random people think of me. But I am consciously making an effort to grow up and see what's actually important.
Which brings me to my last lesson from this weekend...
It's all about relationships.
How we interact every day, whether with friends, family members, coworkers, or strangers, defines who we are as people. Everywhere you look you see people labeling each other to make these interactions easier: every other driver on the expressway is an asshole, every child an annoyance, every homeless person a danger, etcetera. These generalities are even more poisonous to our relationships and our understandings of people as fascinatingly complex individuals. Everyone has a story, if you're willing to listen.
Miranda, you're both cursed and blessed with beauty. I'm so happy to see you're reaffirming the conclusion that you are so much more than your pretty face, and how at the end of the day; it's your beautiful soul that matters. Never let that light dim, even as the pressures of those around you want to mask it in make up and "fierceness". To be beautiful is a gift. It makes life easier, and will get you a paycheck when you audition. To have a beautiful heart in spite of it is the challenge. I think you are your way to something beyond gorgeous.
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