Tiny worlds in rainbow hues
hide in depths of jewel-
toned leaves, in the
burning shades of frost-
seared fall, the damp
air a near-welcome
touch, the rustle of breeze-
tossed foliage interrupted
by the crunch of steps
on fallen brethren, the
scent of their released breath
a sweet prelude inhaled,
skins bursting as their
nectar fills eager mouth
slides down tongue
and chin and stained
kaleidoscope fingers
-KJ Roe
“There are two types of people in this world: Those who…” That’s what the advertisement I just heard said. And then it broke down the two types in two sentences.
Where do you fit in – which do you identify with?
That’s the advertising company’s goal – to pique your interest, and then to draw you in. Once you’ve identified with the “type” that will buy their product or service, it’s an easy nudge to convince you to actually spend your money. They have your attention, they have your sense of comradery, and they have your wallet.
And what did it take? Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds of making you feel like you must belong to one of those two types. Thirty seconds of intriguing video footage, of carefully planned and chosen voice-overs, pauses, and background music to set the mood.
Thirty seconds to convince you to believe the lie.
Because, you see, there aren’t two types of people.
It’s a false dichotomy. A person cannot be determined or described by a single factor. What type of car you drive (or don’t), the music you like, the place you live, the color of your skin – none of these fully describes you.
One characteristic cannot possibly convey your dreams, your relationships, your past, and your future. It cannot reveal the kindness of your heart, the hopes you hold dear, or the things that keep you awake at night.
You are more then just one of two types.
You are greater than a false choice aimed to create income.
You are the combination of a million things past, and a billion things future.
You are the beauty and the strength and the will forged from experiences only you truly know.
You are the awe and the wonder and the joy of a future only you can build.
You are the unique mystery of your particular stardust soul.
There are not two types of people in the world. There are billions.
And you – in all those billions –
You are the only type of you.
Be the brilliant star that you are.
-KJ Roe
I’m thinking of breaking all the mirrors in my house. Maybe all the screens, too. Heck, maybe I’ll just leave the house, and the town, and society. I’ll never measure up anyway.
At least, that’s what they tell me. Tell us. Because it’s the same message they’re giving you. Giving everyone. Probably even themselves. Possibly mostly themselves.
No matter what, we will never be “enough.” Not smart enough, pretty enough, fun enough, serious enough. For years, women have been told to worry about whether their butt was too big, and men, whether their belly was too round. That they had to pick clothes that emphasized a shapely-but-not-too-wide-at-the-hips figure. Now, thanks to idiotic media focus on things like the Kardashians’ anatomy, we’re supposed to worry that our butts aren’t big enough.
Don’t even mention breasts. There’s still plenty of film – digital, video, or still – dedicated to cleavage, and I have had to resign myself to the fact that no amount of padded-ultra-push-up-underwire-lift is ever going to make me look like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. Now, however, there is Continue reading “Mirror, Mirror”
Dreams of Shadow and Light 