If I had to choose between being respected for who I am or being loved for who I am not, I would definitely go for respect. For me, there’s no point in living a fake life just to please others. I’ve always believed that respect lasts longer and carries more value than fake love that is only based on lies and pretence.
Currently, I’m in school, and one thing I notice around me all the time is how a lot of people like to portray themselves in a way that doesn’t reflect their real personality. Some want to appear “bigger” than they are, some exaggerate their lifestyle, and others pretend to be what they are not just to gain acceptance or be loved by a certain group of people. Honestly, I don’t find it impressive at all. It doesn’t make sense to me because at the end of the day, you can’t keep up with being someone else forever. Eventually, the truth will come out, and people will see you for who you really are.
That’s why I personally prefer to just be myself. Whether people like me or not, at least they know the real me. When people approach me, I don’t try to act in a way that is fake or different from who I truly am. I tell them plainly who I am, what I stand for, and how I think. I don’t see the need to sugarcoat things just to fit in. In fact, one thing about me is that I actually express myself directly, even when it might sound uncomfortable to the other person. I believe it is better to say things the way they are rather than pretending.
I remember a particular incident during one of our practical classes. A friend of mine misbehaved really badly, and everyone noticed it. While some people decided to ignore it or pretend it didn’t happen, I confronted him and spoke to him honestly. I told him he was wrong, even though I knew he might not like it. True to my thoughts, he took it the wrong way and stopped talking to me for a while. But later on, he came to realize that what I said was true. He admitted his mistake, and we eventually went back to being friends again. But then that experience taught me something: people might resist the truth at first, but in the long run, they will respect you for being honest and real.
Life, to me, should be lived this way. It’s better to be respected for being your genuine self than to be loved for living a lie. Respect gives you dignity, while fake love fades away once the mask comes off.
Thanks for reading.