Exposed

Dear Younger Me,

Have you told them? 

All I have to do is ask that one question and instantly I know you know who and what. You have spent so much time covering up what you feel ashamed of, in fear it would scare others away. Really, all you’ve managed to do is lose sight of the building blocks that make you uniquely you. 

I recently went on a quick trip to St. Louis with Sam. What a blast to be “adults” and living as explorers. On Saturday morning, we found ourselves at a hole in the wall coffee shop and every detail from the multi floor design (tile and wood) to stained glass windows stole my attention. As I drank a cortado and ate their “Good Morning St. Louis” breakfast sandwich, the exposed brick continually stole my attention. 

Over the past few years, I have found myself getting drawn to the beauty of exposed brick walls. While I was eating the sandwich, it hit me that the original walls hold beauty. Captivated by what’s beneath the surface wall. I thought of you and wanted to remind you that not only will others appreciate your transparency, but you will learn to love what makes you you when you break down the layers you’ve used to cover up what seems messy. 

Not only will you see beauty in yourself, but as others break down walls to let you see what’s built them then you will see that the core of each individual radiates uniquely. I challenge you to set the tone of exposing what you feel you need to hide because not only will you experience freedom personally but will finally feel seen/known by those you let in. 

Recently, this has been a continual game changer. I went from feeling like a vault to giving trusted friends the key. I went from shutting down anytime there was a trigger regarding scars from the past to allowing space to answer questions about what was beneath it all. Being vulnerable has never been a default option for me. As I am making it an option, I am experiencing the depth, contentment and joy of truly being seen in my relationships- what used to scare me is where I feel the most safety. 

What if the question “have you told them,” became an invitation to safety rather than a threat to isolation? How can you be seen if you continue to disguise what’s shaped you with new “coats?” 

Have you recently been somewhere and thought, “If only these walls can talk.” You possess the mouthpiece for your heart. You hold the translation beyond the walls. If you exposed the building blocks within you, what would they say? 

With Love,

Older You