To Be and Not to Seem
Mavisville Preparatory School – 3 Nightingale Avenue – Kingston 3
This is the motto written on my brother’s grade school report cards when we still lived in Kingston, Jamaica. They were in a pile of “stuff” in my closet. It’s definitely not a coincidence that I only now discovered them. It’s more than halfway through the year and I’m no different from the masses in that I’m hitting the reset button and really sitting in who I want to BE, and not who I SEEM to be.
“To BE and not to SEEM” sounds like a Yoda quote. SEEMING is equal to something nebulous and temporary, not sure of yourself. BEING is grounded, solid, deep-rooted; knowing who you are and expanding to fit the world.
Who ARE you? If asked, could you reply with ease? Would the words effortlessly dance off your tongue, regaling all those who ask? Would the question be unnecessary because who you are would be like an advance guard, greeting everyone before you even got to “hello”?!
