THE FAÇADE WE KEEP
O You Who are infinitely Deep yet also profoundly Simple, help me walk the simple path, Free me of any façade of sophistication, which will only hinder my endless quest to come closer to You. Help me live my life with faith, with sincerity and with perfect simplicity.
Reb Nachman of Breslov
The words, “Free me of any façade of sophistication, which will only hinder my endless quest to come closer to You have touched me.
How many times have I put on airs to seem more knowledgeable or understanding of things I don’t know only to impress others. I seem to be afraid that if I don’t know everything then somehow it makes me less than, dumb or unable to be on par with others.
There never has been an expectation that each of us should be versed in all things. We each bring our own expertise, through learning, to any given subject. Isn’t it wonderful we are proficient in different things?
Indeed, it is however still there is the proverbial desire to, “Know it all.”
Could it be we are afraid of not living up to expectations. We place upon ourselves? Is it that we have devised an idea of what other expect of us? Have we allowed ourselves to be influenced by the erroneous idea that we need to be all to all people?
This is the set up. A set of thoughts that prevent us from being our true authentic selves and admitting exactly who we are to ourselves.
There is a tremendous comfort in knowing our strengths and knowing our weaknesses. Weaknesses do not make us weak they simply point out to us where our soft spots are, where we are vulnerable and, in some cases, where we could learn more.
Knowledge and Information
It is necessary for us to accept our present state of knowledge and information we have on any given subject. For those of us who strive to be of service to others. Our knowledge and lack of knowledge is so helpful. Knowledge is helpful because we can share with each other what we have gleaned in specific areas and that is useful.
Lack of knowledge however, the ability to say, “I don’t know,” is even more helpful because this shows our human side.
We connect through our weakness not through our strengths. Because our soft spots make us vulnerable we are less apt to put on that. Façade of sophistication, the Rebbe talks about.
Pretending to be sophisticated about something we are not proficient in is lying to ourselves and others. It blocks us from the Grace of Gd because we are coming from a place of ego. The ego is threatened by failure and therefore will do anything to protect the part of us that critically exclaims. I am not good enough.
Good enough compared to what? Compared to the expectations we have devised from a culture which says if we are not everything then we are nothing? That is malarkey.
We are imperfectly, perfect children of Gd. We were created Divinely and uniquely to be exactly who we are meant to be. Love and appreciate yourself this very moment for everything you know and everything you do not know.
This enables us to come closer to our Gd and therefore closer to ourselves and each other. Today is a beautiful day to count blessings.
Share your thoughts with me on ….
