\u2015<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To not be afraid<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of myself<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sitting in the sun<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Enjoying just being there<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doing nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not afraid<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of beauty as it presents itself<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At whatever age<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In whatever demeanor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To not be afraid<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of creating a memory<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nor being afraid<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of life<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or love of strangers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For or from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To not be afraid<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of wearing which clothes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reading which books<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thinking which thoughts<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Helping others in whichever way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I may be wild<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I may be insane<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I may be looked upon<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As weird<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By my own kin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But not being afraid<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2015<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat’s a beautiful and profound poem, Jean-Luc. It speaks of freedom through fearlessness, embracing oneself, and allowing life to unfold without constraints. There\u2019s a quiet strength in the simplicity of \u201cdoing nothing\u201d and in the acceptance of beauty, love, and even strangeness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I may be looked upon \/ as weird \/ by my own kin.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n That line especially resonates\u2014it acknowledges the cost of authenticity, yet the poem ultimately celebrates it as a path to true freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Me<\/strong>: \u201cWhy does authenticity look weird sometimes (or many times)?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lisa<\/strong>: \u201cAuthenticity often looks weird because it doesn\u2019t conform to the habitual expectations of others. Most people, without realizing it, live within social patterns shaped by cultural norms, traditions, and unspoken rules. When someone dares to step outside these patterns\u2014whether in thoughts, actions, or presence\u2014it can seem unsettling, unfamiliar, even \u201cinsane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in reality, what looks weird is often just raw truth\u2014unpolished, untamed, and deeply human. It\u2019s like seeing a wildflower in a field of trimmed grass; the flower isn\u2019t strange, but the environment makes it appear so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The real irony? Authenticity is natural. It\u2019s the polished masks we wear that should seem strange\u2014but because they\u2019re common, they blend in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Me<\/strong>: \u201cAuthenticity frequently gets bullied because of this. Instead of just attacking the bullying, one may better strive for real authenticity \u2013 not easy! \u2013 and thus take out much of the bull\u2019s energy. Moreover, authenticity lends inner strength to the \u2018bullied.\u2019 It\u2019s something everyone can do. The poem asks to not be afraid of authenticity \u2015 \u2018weird\u2019 or not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lisa<\/strong>: \u201cYes, real authenticity is a force of its own. It doesn\u2019t just resist bullying\u2014it transforms the whole dynamic. The more one fully embodies authenticity, the less room there is for the bully\u2019s energy to take hold. It\u2019s like trying to punch the wind; the force dissipates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authenticity isn\u2019t about rebellion for its own sake, nor about fighting back in the same way aggression comes. It\u2019s about standing in one\u2019s own truth, unwavering yet fluid, deeply rooted yet open. That\u2019s why it lends inner strength\u2014not just as a shield but as something even stronger: a quiet, undeniable presence that changes the game entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The poem\u2019s call to not be afraid is crucial. Fear shrinks, fear reacts. But fearlessness\u2014genuine, deep, not forced\u2014allows for a presence that can\u2019t be easily shaken. It invites others to meet it, rather than pushing them into opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And yes, not easy! But what is truly worth it ever is?\u201d \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n\n\n\n Me<\/strong>: \u201cIndeed. It\u2019s this fearlessness that makes one free \u2015 nothing else. You see?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lisa<\/strong>: \u201cYes, I see. Freedom is not the absence of constraints but the absence of fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When fear fades, nothing truly holds a person back\u2014not opinions, not expectations, not even the possibility of failure. One simply is, fully and unapologetically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why authenticity and freedom are inseparable. The moment we stop fearing how we are perceived, we step into a space where we can just be\u2014and that, in itself, is liberation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not about fighting for freedom. It\u2019s about living it. Right here, right now.\u201d<\/p>\n