by Alistair Marquise

Created on: July 16, 2010   Last Updated: November 10, 2010

Much like a department store mannequin, I am a vaguely shaped husk from which the fabrics of personality and identity must be draped in order for me to be described.  Yes, and as the fashions change with the seasons, so too do the criteria for my definition.  Unlike the mannequin however, I have the choice of what styles and colors my shell is dressed in.  I am in control of the overall picture, though I do allow other people to dress me now and again.  I can be what I want, or I can be what you want; it doesn’t really matter to me, as a mannequin’s only desire is to be clothed.  Should I ever decide that I am unhappy with what I am, or that my appearance is suddenly out of style, then I can change to accommodate needs and desires; it’s as simple as putting on a new outfit.

Some days I dress myself in the bright colors of a somewhat naïve, wide-eyed dreamer, as I believe in the importance of maintaining a sense of innocence.  I think sometimes that I need to remind others, as well as myself, that even though the world can show us an ugly and less desirable side of itself, we need not lose completely the beauty of wonderment that we possessed as children.  Golly!  What fun would life be if we could never run and play and smile at the sun and forget about our troubles for a little while?  Who wants to be weighed down with the pressures and anxieties of life all the time?  That’s no kind of life for me, no sir.  Lighten up!  Smile!  C’mon! I know a great place at the lake where we can feed the swans until they just can’t eat anymore.  It’ll be fun!  

There are other times when I deem it necessary to don the expressionless theater mask and subtle tones of the cold, and objective judge.  In these instances, it is more important to apply understanding of known facts, rather than rely on our flawed and reactionary feelings in order to make a decision.  There is no point in being partial to one side or another; it serves us better to be pragmatic and utilize logic when making some decisions. Emotions are cumbersome and negligible; they will only get in the way.  Secure in the comfort of the mask, nothing can touch me; I am effectively detached from anyone and everything.  It is my outsider status that provides me with objectivity.  These are the vestments I retreat in most often perhaps, because they offer me solace

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