Take Another Look at the Man Behind the Curtain

I am a lot of things.

Some words one might use to describe me:

Loud
Funny
Protective
Loyal
Overly Sensitive

But I am also a lot of things that you don’t realize:
Smart
Loving
Spiritual
Pretty

Some people, and even some family members, don’t look at me hard enough or deep enough to realize that:

Smart doesn’t necessarily come from school. It can mean learning things you never dreamed you would have to learn. It can mean teaching things you never dreamed you would have to teach. It can mean knowing that you have to (sometimes) try just a little harder to get where you want to go.

Loving doesn’t necessarily mean saying the words I love you. It can mean driving 2 hours to have a 30 minute lunch with someone who needed a friend right at that moment. It can mean taking a day off of work without pay to go to the doctor with a friend only to find out that the “news” was good and things are fine. It can mean telling the ones you love “you can do it” when everyone else says they can’t.

Spiritual doesn’t necessarily mean going to church twice a week. It can mean standing in front of the Grand Canyon or the water fall an hour from your house and being in awe and thanking God for his beautiful work. It can mean driving to work without the radio and just listening. It can mean looking into your child’s eyes and wondering how in the world your life meant anything before their arrival.

Pretty doesn’t necessarily mean stick thin and designer clothes. It can mean someone who always tries to smile when she says hello. It can mean someone who always tries to take pride in the way she looks. It can and does come from the inside.

So I guess it is true – things aren’t always as they seem. Maybe, if you think you have someone figured out, you should take a deeper and longer look.