The two faces of you

Dear Friend,

I've been thinking a lot about you of late. Everyone loves the best of you. Everyone hates the worst of you. And they don't see a lot of middle ground. I've heard it called a lot of things. I'm not sure labels are helpful. For my money, labels limit learning, and labels limit love. Just know that where you're at right now is no where near where most of them want to be.

I had a friend in your town this weekend. I wanted to say, "He's there. He's a great guy." Maybe you've helped me to realize that few of us meet the greatness criteria. You were always great in the moment. Great in the long haul wasn't every your thing. From this quarter, no judgment. It wasn't mine, either. And good? Good is something different. For me, "good" means "belongs to God" and I don't think either of us would claim that for you right now. Again, no judgment. I spent a lot of my life as a horrible human being who was neither good nor great to be around. And I'm still a work in progress. But maybe that's why I still love you. Because I recognize a fellow work in progress.

Are you ready for someone to see behind the mask? If not, that's all right. I love you. I can deal with masks. I'll be a polite guest. Just please recognize you've got so many people in your life who want to love the you that they once knew and quit hating the you they know now. Maybe that's unfair. But just like you're you, they're them. And I love them, too. No. I don't have any magic olive branch. I don't have any great ideas. I just know I love you. And I miss you. Not the best of you. Not the worst of you. Just the whole of you.

thus spake,

me