When enough becomes too much

by Sawyer Thomas, online editor

Surprisingly enough, there are times when I think that I might be too over the top for some.

My mannerisms and body language sometimes say way too much about me, and that despite how hard I try, it is too hard for me to hide my true identity.

Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and others had secret identities or alter egos that protected them and their loved ones from their arch-nemesis.  But there was one who fascinated me above all others.  Superman, scantily clad in blue tights, with a big red ‘S’ on his chest, did not have to become Superman.  He was born Superman, and Clark Kent was his alter ego.  Look at Bruce Wayne, and how his pseudo-character was Batman.

When I think about it, I have to put on a costume every day, just to hide my true identity from the world.  I’m a mild-mannered, seemingly boring, human by day. 

But when the moon rises in the night and the sun sets, I become myself, an eccentric, fun, truly wild and inviting spirit.  Granted, I don’t have any wicked, cool powers such as climbing walls or the nifty gadgets.  I am left to my own devices, my wit and banter, my scintillating conversation, with nothing to protect me but my own defenses.

So, I have to wonder, when exactly is enough too much?  Why should I have to don a costume in order to protect myself from those who wish to harm me?  I feel like I have to constantly explain myself to others.  Explain my actions, my movements, why I said what I did, why I did what I did.  Every thing, every action, and every motion constantly under watch by my peers.  It makes me wonder why we should have to wear costumes?  Everybody is born the way they are.  We shouldn’t have to hide who we are.

Being unique is something that God gave us.  He gave us the ability to be and do whatever we want.  He made every person different, and it seems that some of us don’t realize that.  We try and conform ourselves to the Barbie-doll/Ken-doll stereotype.  Whether it’s long blonde hair and a good body, or shining white teeth, good hair and nice pectoral muscles, we all try and make ourselves become the one thing that we envy most.

Beauty is what we all strive for, unsurpassed and unattainable beauty.  The standard that has been set before us by movie stars, magazine models, and many others and is completely unreachable, yet we strive for it.  When girls are making themselves vomit to be skinny, or are dying their hair so much that it becomes frail and brittle, it makes me wonder when they’ve gone too far.

When guys are injecting steroids into their veins for big muscles, it makes me question what lengths we would go to in order to be beautiful?  Like Superman, why should we have to put a costume on?  Superman’s costume, to quote Kill Bill Volume Two, “What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent?  He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race.” I was watching “Kill Bill” recently and it got me thinking.  Bill was absolutely right.  We are so obsessed about how we look or what we are that we are so unsure of ourselves.  That is how Superman viewed us.  He viewed us as weak, because we didn’t know who we were.  We didn’t accept the fact that inside, we are Superman, regardless of what costume we put on to change that.

In the second “Superman” movie, starring the late, but great, Christopher Reeve, he decides to sacrifice his powers to marry Lois.  That love would be so strong for him to give up his birth rite astounds me.  Love truly is the only thing that can conquer evil and oppression.  Love can trump judgment, end wars, even stop hatred. 

So my message dear friends is this: be who you are inside and out, and don’t feel that you have to change yourself just to fit the picture-perfect mold society has laid out in front of you.  Feel more love for your peers so the pressure won’t be as great to conform to this mold so they can fit in with you.  Let all of your prejudices fail, and just accept people for who they are.

All people have feelings that can be hurt just like yours can, and with hearts that can be broken.  See people for what they are, underneath their silly costumes, and look beyond the foolish masks they wear. 

Don’t try to be cool and try to fit in, just be yourself, and know that if people truly care about you, they don’t care if you are Superman or Mighty Mouse.  Just that you are there.