Most of us don’t notice how great we look until years, even decades later. Not long ago, I was looking at photos of myself at various ages and weights—way before the neckular deterioration began, way before the fanny pack of menopause—and I could see how gorgeous I must have looked to everyone else

Most of us don’t notice how great we look until years, even decades later. Not long ago, I was looking at photos of myself at various ages and weights—way before the neckular deterioration began, way before the fanny pack of menopause—and I could see how gorgeous I must have looked to everyone else

Most of us don’t notice how great we look until years, even decades later. Not long ago, I was looking at photos of myself at various ages and weights—way before the neckular deterioration began, way before the fanny pack of menopause—and I could see how gorgeous I must have looked to everyone else. (Anne Lamott, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith)

Let’s burn our masks at midnightand as flickering flames ascend,under the witness of star-clouds,let us vow to reclaim our true selves.Done with hiding and weary of lying,we’ll reconcile without and within.Then, like naked squint-eyed newborns,we’ll greet the glorious birth of dawn;blinking at the blazing, wondrous colorswe somehow failed to notice before

Let's burn our masks at midnightand as flickering flames ascend,under the witness of star-clouds,let us vow to reclaim our true selves.Done with hiding and weary of lying,we'll reconcile without and within.Then, like naked squint-eyed newborns,we'll greet the glorious birth of dawn;blinking at the blazing, wondrous colorswe somehow failed to notice before

Let’s burn our masks at midnightand as flickering flames ascend,under the witness of star-clouds,let us vow to reclaim our true selves.Done with hiding and weary of lying,we’ll reconcile without and within.Then, like naked squint-eyed newborns,we’ll greet the glorious birth of dawn;blinking at the blazing, wondrous colorswe somehow failed to notice before. (John Mark Green)

It is a great evil to look upon mankind with too clear vision. You seem to be living among wild beasts, and you become a wild beast yourself. (““The Story of Prince Alasi and the Princess Firouzkah”) – William Beckford, The Episodes of Vathek

It is a great evil to look upon mankind with too clear vision. You seem to be living among wild beasts, and you become a wild beast yourself. (““The Story of Prince Alasi and the Princess Firouzkah”) – William Beckford, The Episodes of Vathek