19 Comments
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I Read This Over Shabbos's avatar

I would like this a thousand times over. This is something that I am also working on, and the feeling of being liked and respected and even disliked (!) for who you actually are is so much better than being liked for who you’re not. I just bought Brene Brown’s “Daring Greatly” which I think explores this idea as well and am looking forward to reading it.

Thank you for showing up so authentically, it is truly inspiring to me. 🙏🏻

Thaissa Lara's avatar

-- BB is such an inspiring writer and an insightful woman!

Caroline's avatar

You are too kind, thank you!!

It’s easy to show up when there are people like you here.

I completely agree! Let me know what you think of the book. My mom follows her pretty closely and adores her but I haven’t read any of her work yet.

Elisabeth Donati's avatar

That was fun. I'm convinced we're all like this to some degree or another inside. No one tells us anything when we're growing up. It would have been nice to hear things like, "Everything thinks they are crazy...it's not just you."

Or..."Every human is trying to figure out what this life thing really is so if you feel a bit nuts at times, it's perfectly OK."

Or...all of the other things you wrote.

It's just that no one has the answer because, quite frankly, I'm simply convinced there IS no answer. There just IS!

Caroline's avatar

Yes!!! Life has been so much more fun now that I’ve realized we’re all a little mad! But I like the possibility of there being no answers or at least no right answers. That’s freeing. Thank you!

Thaissa Lara's avatar

-- “I’ll stop trying to be perfect. Expose my authentic self and share without inhibition. Take the rejections and lumps and move on because I’m bigger and stronger than I imagined.” Oh, I have read Langston Hughes’s quote earlier today, and I thought to myself that it was the most genuine phrase ever. Honestly, it took me a while to find the words to comment on this one. I can relate in SO MANY LEVELS. . . I believe you are just like me -- I feel every sense, I see every detail, I try to understand every event, I pour my heart into everything I do. It is what it is. We are who we are. And I think that’s the strength of it.

Caroline's avatar

Ohhh Thaissa, the plight of us who care too much and love too hard. No one ever taught me how to give a little...it’s always a tsunami with me.

I’m eternally grateful to you ❤️

Thaissa Lara's avatar

-- Even if someone tried to teach me, I don’t think that I would learn how to give a little, how to love lightly. That’s a burden and a blessing. We are definitely not delusional at all. We are just densely sensitive beings, who can sometimes be underestimated. I am here for you.

appleton king's avatar

ohhhh good lord

now you have seduced the entire internet with this piece and will forget ALL about me....i WILL carry on tho 💪👍

absolutely ❤️this

like i said dont forget the little people you knew along the way 🤣🤣😉

Caroline's avatar

Haha I could never forgot you!!! Where would I be without your humor and insight?

Please know how grateful I am!

TURBO GOTH's avatar

I’m vulnerable because I want to leave this world with a heart that is worn out. If I donate my body to science, I want a group of medical students to slice me open, cut my breastbone, open my rib cage, and see decades of loving and hurting and caring and living etched into my heart.

We do in good 🙏

Caroline's avatar

Thank you!! Grateful ❤️

appleton king's avatar

awww shucks dorothy ....you and toto git along now i gotta go look for my brain....gotta be round here in substack land...somewheres!!! 😚🫡

Satya Robyn's avatar

Lovely piece 🙏🏻

Caroline's avatar

Satya, your presence here humbles me. Thank you ❤️

Satya Robyn's avatar

😘

Joy W's avatar

Good for you. Wonderful picture

Caroline's avatar

Thank you, Joy! I so appreciate your readership!

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Sep 24, 2023
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Caroline's avatar

Cheers to being weird, or as you put it “growing up weird.” ❤️❤️❤️