The Importance of Being Known

I can't remember when I wrote this poem, but it's a theme I think about. Congruence means being the same on the inside that you are on the outside, but being known requires not only that but also another person's willingness to "get" you, and then accept you.

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I'm blessed with a few people who really know who I am, who know I am emotionally brave, who know I cry too easily, who know I can be stubborn and who know I am total fun on vacation. It's easy to play a role to impress or protect, but these days I prefer to be myself. That's saying alot right there, but when I let myself be known to another person, and they return the favor, well, that's hitting the jackpot.

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I thought it was that chuckle when you lean back and laugh,
Your willingness to dare even when the forecast’s grim,
The details and years piling up until you are now your age,
And the plans that don’t materialize but still sometimes thrill.
To my surprise it’s so much less:
It’s being known.
To lose that
Is reason
Enough
To try
Not
To.