Truth Be Told

Last night, I saw a powerful scene in a streaming series called "Truth Be Told." A young woman was arrested and taken to a local jail. I watched as her identity was reduced to digital data points on a screen as the familiar rigmarole of booking into jail played out: fingerprinting and mug shots, you know how it goes. The starkness of reality had been set in motion for this unfortunate individual.

The rough-and-tough facade of the biker chick was stripped away as she watched them take piece by piece, her sense of identity evaporating. Bonded to these objects like a superhero's cape and cowl, they served as armor forged from love to protect herself against an unkind world - but don't we all seek shelter in something? Her face crumpled with emotion, tears welling in both eyes, hers and mine.

Identity is genuinely a complex tapestry constructed with threads of culture and language. We may be given labels - "one of the good ones" or "articulate," for example - but even these fall short of truly revealing who we are inside. Our experiences shape us far beyond the expectations that others place upon us; identity goes much deeper than any surface-level judgment can reveal.

At night, when we are on the street alone walking toward each other, do you clutch your purse and cross, or are you relieved? What do you see? Do you see me? Can we only be seen, known, and yet loved in the dark? Must we become blind to see? For me, it has always been my words that made me unique. Yet, for many years they were trapped inside the frustrated facade of a gifted orator, deftly afraid to write.?

This scene made me wonder – are we all like her? When vulnerable and exposed, do we quiver in apprehension - clinging to our protective mechanisms for assurance? Who are we when our traditions, belongings, or mannerisms no longer define us??

In an age where we are so wrapped up in the idea of 'me' and forget to appreciate the 'we,' I think it needs to be understood that although our possessions enhance our identity, they do not define us. It is our actions, thoughts, and feelings that make us who we are - without them; we are nothing.

So let's take a moment to think about what makes us who we are and why our oneness is so important in this rapidly changing world. Let's not forget that although we each have our own unique story, it is only through understanding and accepting one another that true peace can be found. Only then will we be able to experience the fullness of our humanity.

Let your unique beauty be seen and heard, freeing yourself from the heavy shackles of fear. Reveal a truth known through experience to share with others words of comfort, affirmation, and wisdom filled with love that only you can express in an unmatched profoundness. Claiming authority over identity will become second nature as each word released into the world is calibrated with care- never doubting its value nor seeking anyone's approval beforehand: my voice has been empowered to speak freely no matter where I go. My prayer is for yours to do the same. Amen, and so be it.