Subtext

What's beneath the words we say? Do we ever truly say everything that's in our head? Often I'd say that would qualify as purely rude. The unfiltered thoughts are harsh, sometimes cruel, or too honest. Is that it? Is it the honesty we fear? Condemn? I'm not sure. Brutal honesty is scary because we depend on the consideration and courtesy of others to not blatantly blurt those realities about us for which we have shame, guilt, embarrassment, things that fill our basket of insecurities.

So then how can we say we're truly honest if it's all a facade? I mean, that's what it is, isn't it? A beautiful front that conceals a darker underbelly.

Conversely, we're overly brutal with ourselves. Not honest, but brutal. How can we do that? Vascillate between deluding ourselves into believing we're worse, or better, than we are. How do we ever know what we are? Are we the reflections given back to us by others? Are we the impact on those around us?

Perhaps the answer is a hybrid -  more honesty with those around us, less brutality towards ourselves. If only we could master the subtleties of such a thing.