The Importance of Authenticity
A story from my childhood of betrayal and the value of being truthful
I thought I would share a story that illustrates how sometimes things just aren't meant for you.
When I was a child, I loved drawing.
Back then, I was very young and didn't understand much. A friend of mine had an older sister who wanted to go to art school. When she found out that I could draw well and saw my artwork, she decided to take advantage of me.
She asked me to draw a few things for her, supposedly as references, but she ended up putting my drawings in her portfolio. I only discovered this much later when I was older. She did get into the art academy.
On one hand, how amazing is it that I helped her get in as a child? On the other hand, how cruel can people be to exploit children?
But when she got into the art academy, she told me how miserable she was there. She had imagined it very differently, hated it, and even developed mental issues. Everything just went wrong.
I'm not saying this happened just because of that, but I want to emphasize the importance of being truthful, because the truth will always come to light, no matter what and how.
Being authentic and staying true to yourself is the most important thing in life. If you're not genuine in what you do, you'll end up hating it and yourself. You will lose yourself, and that price is not worth paying. The initial excitement might be nice, but it doesn't last long.
When I look back, I can't help but laugh. It's genuinely funny and it reminds me of how much I loved drawing and painting, and how it always ignited a light within me.
Rania ♡