Unsung

I have been a happy guy lately so trying to write about something not necessarily labeled as "happy" will be a bit weird, but I'll try anyway.

Now, everyone has an reputation of some sort that is attatched to their identity. When you think of someone, you generally have a bunch of characteristics, personalities, or just generally some things that you know go along with that person. Some people are flat out arrogant and just perceive themselves as supreme, whereas others will think that they are worthless. This self esteem business is fine, but in this world, it is not entirely about how you look at yourself, it's also how people look at you based on what kind of person you are and what you've done. There are people that do so many things that should be recognized but never get it; then there are those who do next to absolutely nothing and have all the glory to go with it.

I came across something a couple days ago that I felt really bad about having to read about it. I felt bad because based on the circumstances leading up to this event, it seems that what I read was, to my interpretation, something along the lines of frustration or disappointment. To keep things annonymous to prevent any spread of false or misinterpreted information, I will use myself as an example because I can relate perfectly to this situation I am talking about. Sometimes when I have been talking to people over the past few years, it seems that the only reason they would talk to me is because I'm supposedly a good guitar player. All other circumstances aside, without knowing much of who I am or what I'm like, people have shown interest in talking to me just because I am "SO GOOD AT GUITAR!!" Recently, I have indirectly thrown hints of challenging people who make this comment to me. The conversation could go somewhere along the lines of how I started playing guitar and how I because so good at it. My usual response to these types of questions is simply because I love to play and I practice a lot. Then I would subtly change the subject just a little bit so that I get the person I am talking to to maybe make a comment about myself as a person based on something I said. The usual response ends up being "XD well, you seem like a nice person too." I'm sure anyone else with a right mind will be nice to other people that they don't know too well.

If you do not know what I am getting at with this, I apologize for either not being clear enough in my explanation, or your ignorance towards caring about others' feelings, for the lack of a better word. I will make the point again, except this time more straight forward. Ignoring what I can do on my part, most people I know only see me as a guitarist and really do not acknowledge anything underneath that image that I created for myself. This becomes frustrating because even though you create the person you are, others will only see you as that person you've created and claims it as the only legitimate method of interact with you. In the end, you have both sides of the party feeling somewhat uneasy and awkward because in one end, you have a disappointed person who might have lost a bit of confidence in themself because they recognize that they are only perceived as so-and-so maybe because they either didn't do a good enough job of allowing people to know them better, or just that people only see the material characteristics that person has to offer; and in the other end, somewhere down the road you only see that person as what you viewed them as: a guitarist, a cook, or a soccer player. Then the other side of the relationship will think to themselves, "man, maybe I should've tried to know them a little bit better, or atleast show a little more respect for who they are instead of just the impression I have given them of how I view them in the material world."

Another long post, so I end here. There are people out there who deserve so much more than we give them credit for. What does it take for us to get out of our self-centered, selfish lives and begin to look into other people's hearts for who they truly are?

I would, for sure, not mind if someone came up to me one day and just sincerely say, "hey Nathan, I know you're really good at guitar, but I just want to thank you for the person that you are." So to you who inspired me to write about this, I thank you for who you are, and what you have done in the lives of our young generation. You are an amazing person to be around and can always be approached to with a smile on your face. You are definitely not who you seem to be perceived to be and hopefully you will be able to recognize that we failed to give you the props you deserve for being a hardworking and loyal person with a big heart.