True Colors

Everybody knows that song by Cyndi Lauper “True Colors.” If you do not what I am talking about, the chorus goes something like this:

“And I’ll see your true colors

Shining through

I see your true colors

And that’s why  love you

So don’t be afraid to let them show

Your true colors

True colors are beautiful

Like a rainbow…”

Of course seeing someone’s true colors is not always that bright and peachy. We wish it would happen that way, but the truth is that it does not. I have to admit that I learned it the hard way. Sometimes you have to be careful when someone shows you more than two versions of themselves. There is usually one version of themselves when they are out in public in front of others and then the other version of themselves is when they are in a private place or with loved ones they trust. Then there are some people (a rare coincidence I believe) who are always the same. Some people have a need to hide behind masks, but that is for another time.

One of the worst parts is when you get to know someone and you think you know their true colors, when the truth is that you do not. That is one of the worst feelings in the world and trust me, I know that all too well. There is this quote by Maya Angelou (one of my favorite people who sadly passed away at least a few years ago) and she says “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” I love that quote and I have kept it close to my heart after one of my aunts told me this quote (I did not know that it was Maya at the time). I want people (who are reading this) to keep that quote in mind because there will be a time where you come across a person like that. I know it is hard, but you have to believe them the first time because you may try to deny it all you want, but that is who they are. People have to be careful because there could be that one person who they love and admire so much, but it may be a different story when you get to know them in a more private setting. All of a sudden, they are a completely different person and they are not always who they are cracked up to be.

I hope my readers keep this in mind as sometimes word travels around and you have to think about who to trust. The people around town? Yourself? Or the person you thought you knew? I hope that everybody chooses wisely and keep believing in whoever you trust the most. I know that I have said before that everybody has imperfections, but sometimes you cannot get past them. So this goes out to my readers, whoever you are. I that you all find someone who is not afraid to share their true colors with you and I hope that you are able to do the same with them (as long as it is safe and healthy). The person (or in this case I think it might be plural) who I wrote this about is a combination of different perspectives and situations. It was not ideal, but I have learned a lot from the experience with them. Learn to trust (always) and happy reading!! P.S. Since we are on the theme of true colors, I will add another poem in the mix as well.

No Hero

It was a hard pill to swallow

Because the truth hurts and

All I wanted to do was follow

 

In your footsteps. The sand

Was sinking me down

Until I could no longer stand.

 

I felt like I was going to drown,

But there was nothing I could do

To stop the whispers in this town.

 

Everybody was speculating and you

Were living up to the hype.

I was starting to feel like the new

 

Girl around these parts. I had to wipe

Away my tears before you saw

Me as weak. I was not your type

 

Of girl. I used to be in awe

Of you until I saw all of the ugliness.

You were no shiny medal. The flaw

 

In the both of us was heartless.

And the darkness of the situation

Was twirling off its axis.

 

Nothing was turning out to be certain

Like I thought it was going

To be. Nobody clearly won

 

This battle. It does have a lot of sting

Because you meant so much to me,

But we were both down to our last swing.

 

I could no longer let you see

Things from my perspective because

Everything had to stop and cease.

 

I paid no attention as each person’s jaws

Dropped to the floor because I never

Cared enough for their claws

 

To sink into us and pin me as the enabler.

Their golden and bad boy could

Never disappoint them. Your honor

 

Was never real. How I wish you would

Show the world who you really

Are and how the bad outshines the good.

 

People always viewed you as godly

And perfect. While I am just

An ordinary girl and I was barely

 

Hanging on as I was. I wanted to trust

You enough so you would never break

Me into pieces, but I was turning into dust.

 

Your True Colors

My feelings were hidden from view.

I never wanted to hide what

I was feeling away from you.

 

Deep down in my gut

And intuition was the truth

That everything was going to cut

 

Me deep. It did nothing to soothe

My irrational fears of you leaving.

It turned out that I saw your true

 

Being and colors shining

On through. I prayed for some

Miracle. I thought it would bring

 

You and I back in rhythm like a drum.

We got out of sync and you were no

Longer a part of this dance. I feel numb.

 

You and I were supposed to go slow,

But I got ahead of myself and wanted

Too much. You gave me this glow,

 

But it has all dimmed. The wall

That I built is going back up.

I am left wandering

 

This world while I suffered the blowup.

You did not have to suffer as much as I did.

You just went on like this was no breakup.

 

You went off the map and grid.

You vanished and disappeared altogether.

We could do nothing to stop this skid.