When I was younger, I used to wonder when I’d finally make it to the “Other Side”, that land of milk and honey, that place where everything worked, things didn’t break or go off course, plans no longer wandered astray with frightening regularity and most important where I was as cool, calm, collected and competent on my inside as everyone else seemed to be according to their outside.

Don’t get me wrong, I was getting things done, making progress, good progress actually when I looked back BUT it all seemed to be by the “skin of my teeth” i.e. close calls left and right, things held together by chewing gum, duct tape, and bailing wire. I got the job done but not exactly the world’s smoothest execution. I kept hoping to “break through” to the other side, where things got easier. Then I finally realized the rest of the world had the same challenges as I did, I was just comparing my blunt, unvarnished reality with their press releases and their spin and that my inside was as good as if not better than theirs!

Closing Quotes:

“A good man often appears gauche simply because he does not take advantage of the myriad mean little chances of making himself look stylish. Preferring truth to form, he is not constantly at work upon the facade of his appearance.” – Alanis Morissette, b. 1974, Canadian alternative rock singer

“I feel confidence in myself, but at the same time there’s these cracks in the facade and those little things underneath that are unstable.” – Pete Wentz, b. 1979, bassist, lyricist, and backing vocalist for Fall Out Boy

“The problem with wearing a facade is that sooner or later life shows up with a big pair of scissors.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough

As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier