The Masks We Wear

I wrote this devotional in the spring of 2015. This is an edited version that I wish to share with you:

We all wear masks, some more elaborate than others. Some are different in colors and some are different in sizes. All masks are different, but they all have one thing in common. Every person is afraid to take off his or her own mask for a fear of being judged, the fear of being shamed or rejected. Whatever the fear maybe, it is remarkable of what happens after our masks are removed. They reveal that that we all have scars. Each and every one of us has the exact same scars as each other. Some think the scars are from being hurt. Hurt from others, hurt from ourselves, hurt from things we have no control over. But it doesn't matter where the hurt comes from. Because it does not matter where the hurt comes from, it matters that people have the scars. But these scars are not a walk of shame, but rather a reminder that we are all connected to each other by having the same scars. We would not have realized that we are connected to each other by having the same scars if we didn't have the courage to take off our masks. So the connectivity we have for one another thrives from the ability to be vulnerable. Vulnerability and taking off our masks is what makes us human.

So, I’m not really afraid or nervous about my YAV year. I know this path is the right one for me. I know that this year will help me grow in my courage to be vulnerable with people, vulnerable with the YAVs, Dwellers, and other people from the LA/Hollywood community. All we can do as humans is be real and boldly love people. To me, that is what this year is about, learning to be real with people despite our scars.