it's time to get real (as crazy as it makes me sound)

why is it so damn difficult to just be where you're at? why does it pose such a battle within yourself and when interacting with others?

it can be difficult enough just to discover/navigate/maintain/be okay with/feel strong in who you are, where you're at, and what you need without any other factors (people) involved. that separation is so rare. and when other factors (people) are in the mix, you then have to assert and defend and stay strong in who you are, where you're at, and what you need while navigating who they are, where they're at, and what they need. multiply this by the number of people you encounter in any given day and add the level of intimacy you experience with each of them. i realize that this is the human experience, but i'm genuinely starting to feel like it's all just a silly game - a game we play to avoid doing the real work (and i'm not talking the 9-5 kind).

when one is lost, why not pull strength from oneself by facing those dark aspects of being...?