I’ve always tried to be REAL with people hoping that they would do the same. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it. People wear so many masks that it’s so hard to tell which ones show their true selves. I can only speculate on the reasons why they do this. Perhaps it’s to cover insecurities or to protect themselves because they’ve been burned before.

You see one face-examine it well, try to know it with its many expressions, the softness of its skin, the beauty and imperfections of its features. But just when you think you feel that you know it so well and grow very fond of it, it changes instantly. You’re not sure if it’s real or simply another mask. You’re left wondering why and the feeling of betrayal follows.

Still, we all have the free will to make choices. You can become jaded and become, not who, but what they are. You could either form and shape your own masks or go on the way you were and remain REAL. Or you could have masks and choose to take them off once you find that a person is worthy of experiencing who you are. But then how can you truly know? I don’t.

I, for one, would rather not wear masks because I know too damn well how it feels to be deceived and I’ve worn so many for so long. Hence, I choose to remain REAL. It’s difficult, but I’d rather know and accept who I am. Well, at least I try my best to be. And besides, it avoids complications later on.

No matter how many times we’ve been burned and betrayed, we still have to trust and have faith in people. I mean how else can we share wonderful moments if we didn’t? We just can’t expect them to treat us the same way we treat them because if we did, we’d only be disappointed. I was guilty of that. I thought I had faith, but it was expectation. I expected to receive what I gave-I’m being real so take off your mask. I had that wrong notion and I realize that now.

There are so many risks once you leave your face bare. It leaves us vulnerable, but then how can we experience things that are true if we don't? How can we see true beauty if what we show is fake? So even if I've been hurt so many times over, I still choose to take that risk and remain REAL in hope that some people can be too and so that we can actually feel genuine happiness even if it is only for a little while...