The Paintbrush

The Paintbrush
(poet unknown)

I keep my paint brush with me
Wherever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn't show.


I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you'll do - that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.


I'd like to remove all my paint coats
To show you the real, true me,
But I want you to try and understand,
I need you to accept what you see.


So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.


Now my coats are all stripped off.
I feel naked, bare and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend, pure as gold.


I need to save my paint brush, though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case someone doesn't understand.


So please protect me, my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paint brush with me
Until I love me, too.


I am not sure how many of you remember this poem. But the classes who got that little notebook, and had to write their journals, would find a printed copy of this poem in there.

It deals with a person's insecurities...and tnat sometimes, we all hide behind some kind of facade. Hiding may not solve the problems, for we cannot run away forever.

We need to remind ourselves that we can never fully understand a person...and never allow ourselves to be blindsided by our prejudices, our biases, and our assumptions of what a person is like.