I’m drawn to people who live authentic lives. What the normative world calls eccentric people. Those who choose to do what they want to do and refuse to believe that it’s somehow not ok or not quite right. I have friends who revel in their Judaism through ceremony and shared ritual but still live a contemporary lifestyle. I have friends who choose to create art for art’s sake and whose life, overtime, has become a work of art. Like them it is a Victorian/gothic view of their surroundings even when they are in the suburbs visiting the parents. Is it jarring to be married and have a baby and still listen to death metal? Nope. Not with them.
I have friends who work in the corporate world and yet are some of the most spiritual people you will ever meet. And they don’t see the two as contradictory or antagonistic. Others choose to immerse themselves in dance and performance and live their lives literally to their own beat. It’s not always easy for any of us to live authentically, but it certainly is joyful for the most part.
What you love or love to do may not be popular or to everyone’s taste, but to live authentically that can’t matter. It can be disheartening to hear people talk disparagingly about something you are passionate about, but that’s just one person’s opinion and just one moment in time. Do what it is you love. I personally support “Can’t Stop the Serenity” not only because I love the movie and the world that Josh Whedon created, but because it is a fund-raiser for Equality Now. Yes, I’m a geek and I’m proud of it. And in attending this event I have made connection with hundreds of others in my community that feel the same way. Wonderful people full of humor and opinions and the will to enjoy life while making a change for the better.
Be authentic in your life. Speak your truth wherever you are, not just where it is safe. Allow others to see what brings you happiness and joy. Even if they don’t join in it can give them the courage to seek out their own authenticity.