Embracing Me

Thandie Newton gave a riveting speech (here) on self and how it gets in the way of the essence of our being. She talked about how she felt she was a nobody being born to a white father and a black mother in the 70s and dealing with the abuse that came from that. She spoke on how she felt so free when she became a dancer and an actor because she was no longer her self but something else entirely that she breathed life into. She spoke about her bulimia and having to see a therapist because she was confused and she felt that her self was not any good. I can totally relate to that feeling of not belonging and being an anomaly because I’m gay-a social outcast! While growing up I endured so much verbal and sometimes physical abuse because of who I was. My getaway was through music. I used music as a way to transfer all of my emotional expression to it. I am a singer so I sang my pain and frustration away. I let it all out through my voice. Eventually I had to learn that I was so much more than what people labeled me as. I knew I had a lot to offer the world and I was not going to let anyone put out the light that is inside me. My essence means more than my self. I love my self but it gets in the way sometimes of what I know I can accomplish through the essence of me. I just wish that we could get rid of the boxes that society places upon us and just be ourselves. It does not matter what race we are, what religion we believe in, or status; we are all one! If we could get in touch with the oneness that Thandie spoke upon. Where we become one with each other and ourselves and get rid of that heavy burden of self. Let’s live up to the essence of who we are!