July 30 Daily Entry -- Portraits

When I interact with someone, they form an impression of me. This impression is like a portrait. It is based on the living, changing version of me, and it may resemble me closely, but it is incomplete. There will always be angles, movement, sound, thoughts, memories, that they will never know.

Ultimately, what they think of the portrait is not my business. I leave it with them, and I go on my way. I cannot concern myself with their opinions of the portrait. Because I am the living, breathing person, and I have a life to live.

There may be details in the portrait that are not accurate to who I am. That is not in my control. They have the portrait and it cannot be changed.

There may be elements of the portrait they don't like. That's okay. First, not everyone has the same taste, and that's fine. Second, that portrait is not ME. It is their idea of me. It is not up to me to change myself so that they like my portrait better.

And I must consider what they will do with the portrait after I leave. They will not hold it and gaze at it all day. They will hang it in a gallery with hundreds of other portraits. Perhaps they will like it and return to it often. Or perhaps it will not be for them. Either way is fine.

It doesn't need to concern me what they do with the portrait while I am gone. Because I am more than a portrait, and I have a life to live.

I leave portraits of myself all day long, everywhere I go. I cannot worry about each one. Not every portrait is a masterpiece. I must leave it and move on.