And the word was...

Authenticity...

"(in existentialist philosophy) relating to or denoting

 an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive,

 and responsible mode of human life."

That is where I wanted to go this year, 2010.

I endeavored to place myself in a "mode"

of authenticity....

As I interpreted it,

it meant; to be 

who I really am,

without pretense...

false behavior,

or two-faced communication.

It was surprisingly easy....

to be me...

(no, I won't break out in song, promise)

but it had an unexpected consequence...

I started to become aware of the lack

of authenticity in the world around me.

It hurt.

I didn't like it at all....

and,

I found

that 

I have little tolerance for it, anymore.

I believe that we tolerate behavior

in order to 

"get by"...

and then we become immune to it.....

we fail to recognize it for what it is.....

we begin to think of it as the norm.

Sorry,

but that sucks.

I hope

that I never become immune to lack of authenticity again.

Even though, being acutely aware of it has 

some unintended consequences too...

it narrows your playing field,

your playmates become fewer,

and you may not even be able to tolerate your own family much,

but 

you 

may 

find

that you 

find 

serenity.....

smiles.