Sunday, August 11, 2013

Have You Ever Wanted To Be Someone Else?~ Sunday Reflections #31WriteNow

"Good art comes from people who have been knocked around by life, made some bad choices, and nursed hurt feelings."

Have you ever wanted to become someone else? Well author Allie Larkin explores the idea in her book  Why Can't I Be You. The main character Jenny Shaw is having a horrible time. She's working a job that she is incredibly bored with, has just been dumped by a man she planned to marry one day, and is headed on a business trip with no luggage. How can she fix this mess? By pretending to be someone else.

As soon as Jenny arrives in Seattle for her business trip, the opportunity to escape her own troubles comes when someone mistakes her for their long lost friend Jessie Morgan. Instead of correcting them she goes with the flow. By becoming Jessie, Jenny is able to really explore the depths of herself and her purpose in life. She also discovers that the grass is not greener on the other side. There's a reason Jessie has been hiding from her childhood friends and doesn't want to be found. In the midst of it all, Jenny has to decide whether she wants to keep pretending to be someone else and fix their problems, or be true to who she is.

Only in a book can a woman (emotionally) steal someone else's identity, fall in love, and come out winning in the end once people get to know the real her. This book Why Can't I Be You really has me thinking about people wanting to be something they're not. More importantly, people wanting you to become something you're not.

For instance, while I haven't tried to be someone else, I've had to deal with the pressures of people trying to change me. One example is with money. Lately I've been trying to figure out how I can save money to travel more. On the other hand my dad has been pressuring me to start up a 401K to focus on being prepared for retirement. I'm 26, single, and have no kids. As much as I'd like to take on the role as the woman who prepares financially for what happens 10 and 50 years from now, I'm not that. Instead, I'm the woman trying to live in the moment and whatever good moments can be created sooner than later.

I will admit I've wanted to be that woman who fell in love with her high school sweetheart or even that great man she met upon getting into college. You know the ones that are still inseparable 10 years later. They're still showing public display of affection and have a couple kids to show for their blossoming romance. Plus, they don't mind that they haven't been able to simplify all the complications life has to offer as long as they have each other. Yeah, that's not my life.

I've had so few relationships that when I do meet that man of my dreams, that will probably a whole new challenge. No love at first sight. No instant conforming. It'll probably be a crazy romance in which I find out brand new information about myself while trying to learn him. Word to Betty Wright.

Oh, and more so than anything else I've wished I had different skills. Everyone says the money is in pharmacy, engineering, banking, or even the law. However, my skills lay more in the area of the arts. I have a passion for writing, love creating poetry, and examining paintings. If I was rich I'd buy every black art painting I've come in contact with. It's that serious.

Honestly, we've all either wanted to be someone else or have faced pressure to change ourselves in some way? Tell me your story. What have you wanted to change about you? What have others not liked about you?


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Lashuntrice

Lashuntrice