Stepping out; a self portrait challenge. The masks we wear

Ahh the masks we wear, hmm .....it seems I am always wearing a mask, not that it is intentional, yet somehow I am always perceived by people around me as someone quite different from the person I feel myself to be. Not until people really get to know me, do they realize that my face to the world perhaps simply hides a private and quiet person.
It is I believe through my often sullen looking face that I am often misinterpreted, the world sees a stuck up person with an attitude and perhaps disinterested, when in truth I hide myself and my smile because I am very shy.
I have always done best in small groups and with close friends, I enjoy deep conversation and although I can be extremely goofy with a dry sense of humor,  I have a tendency to be more on the serious side.
I am an autumn child, and I feel it, I have always felt older than my years, and
just as studious uncle fall quiets down the land
following the wild dancing of summer, so my spirit has a natural tendency to turn more inwards.
 Understand me right, I am happy with the person I am today, I have come a long way, feeling more secure in myself, and even with my multitude of flaws and having made some serious mistakes in my life,  I can still look myself in the mirror, on most days, and feel good about who I see. And then there are those rare days, those magical days each month, when I can bare myself to the world, when I loose the mask, when I smile and look people in the eye when we pass on the street, and on those days, when all falls away, I feel a true connection to all that is, I take a deep breath in gratitude, I give and receive freely of life's energy before once again
returning to my cave to ponder, and be quiet. (Well private at least, I do have two children after all:))

I am really loving this self portrait challenge, more for the introspection, but also for the fun of taking the pictures. I love having for a few days now pondered what masks really represent for me, then talking myself in to the courage to share these innermost thoughts, and then the realization, that once the post to blog button is clicked and it is all out there, it ceases to be scary, so thanks again to Shakti Mama for this wonderful challenge and to all the mama's taking part, and making it all a bit more meaningful.

I keep thinking of this beautiful piece of writing when I think of this portrait challenge, it just seems to speak to the essence of what we are all dealing with;

 Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

 Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous/

Actually who are we not to be?

We are children of spirit.

Our playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking,

so that other people wont feel insecure around us.

We are all meant to shine as children do

We were born to manifest the glory of the spirit that lives within us.

It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, 

we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.

And as we are liberated from our own fears,

our presence automatically liberates other.

                                      Marianne Williamson

Do hop on over to Shakti Mama to see other masks revealed,

~And a wonderful day to you~