And then there comes a time when wearing the Mask becomes the most difficult thing to do.
No wonder people become disillusioned in all kinds of relationships, whether romantic, friendly, familial or business. Many of them are just the interaction between Masks, where true intimacy is feared and vulnerability is considered weakness. But when both people meet from a vulnerable place, the interaction is completely different. It is compassionate and supportive. It must be - because we can recognise others' fears as our own and they recognise ours as theirs. There is real connection born of creating a shared reality.
When the walls come down and the games and attitudes cease, we can recognise how Masks are merely the armour for a very vulnerable essence. An essence that may have been conditioned to believe that they are "not enough." The Mask provides the projected identity, the ego's desire to not only survive but be in control.
People make all sorts of excuses for wearing the Mask. "They wouldn't understand." "They don't need to know." "They would use it against me." With each one, there is a compromisation of Self and a desire for an intended outcome. When one honours themself, with all their feelings and needs, without judgement, the outcome becomes less important.
There is power in vulnerability and relief in surrender to What Is. What's the point of guessing or trying to steer anything in a certain direction? It only sets you up for disappointment. There are no guarantees and, if you lose, you would have lost more than just that round. All we can really do is be curious and playful.
Dropping the Mask means transparency. It means showing yourself without worrying what people will think or how they will react. It means taking responsibility for one's own thoughts, feelings and actions and handing over to others responsibility for theirs. It means meeting each other naked in the face of Truth. It means being real.
The quality of such relationships is more authentic and deeper than ones based on pleasing. They dispel illusions and lies. They avoid assumptions and misunderstandings. They create a support system of people who truly love you and care for you as you are and who are ready to support you to be your best. Why waste relationships on discussing people, events or ideas all the time or perhaps even living a lie?
Let the natural mystic flow come from natural dealings rooted in transparency. Honour each other. Honour yourself.