Invitation to Life; Come as You Are

I've been thinking (-gasp of utter surprise!-), and I think I've established something about myself: for the most part, I'm a "come as you are" person.

Allow me to explain. And even if you don't allow me to explain I shall do so anyway. I think people should be more comfortable with themselves, and not need to put on a show of sorts for other people. I mean, sure you can show what you have to offer, but it should be a center-stage performance, it shouldn't be a side-show to try and hide something flawed. Tiny flaws are part of the beauty of any live performance. It gives it that genuine, human quality to it, y'know?

Now, don't get me wrong, I like the occasional metaphorical song-and-dance of, say, dressing all nice-nice and what-not, but I don't think it's "who I am," if you will pardon the cliché. If I had the choice, I'd wear my dark-wash jeans, nice shirt, and black flats all the time, with the occasional dress thrown in there for performances. Granted, if I had to I'd get used to wearing dresses all the time, but it would have to be the right kind of dress.

One of the things that made me think of this was preparation before attending a symphony performance. Now, I don't know if I've mentioned at all, but I love any and all live classical music like nobody's business. But, there's only one thing of which I'm not a fan in the classical music world: the apparent "necessity" to get all dressed up for a performance. I mean, yeah, one should look nice in public, and yeah, it's a fairly special occasion to go to the symphony. But I feel that I'm there to listen to the performers on stage play their hearts out, not to win the "Best Dressed Award." I don't really care what people think of my attire, frankly. If I like what I'm wearing, that's all that really counts to me. If someone happens to really like it, kudos to him or her.

I'm kind of the same way with musical competitions. Some people get all spun up about them, and feel they absolutely must be the best out of everyone there, lest the universe implodes, or, heaven forbid, they only place instead of win (okay, most of the competitors that I've known aren't that uptight, but I've heard it to happen). I'm just there to play my best and get the constructive comments from the judges. If I happen to place, that's just an added bonus. If I don't, I'm satisfied with the fact that I played my best. I play for my satisfaction, in the hopes that someone else will be satisfied by my music as well. If not, well, frankly it's their loss.

Sometimes I wish the world would just relax a little. People should still work hard, but just calm down about the results, that's not what matters the most. It's the process that matters, it really is. I think if people would think about that more, it'd calm things down a bit. Not much, I realize, but just that little bit.