disguises

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.

Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French author & moralist (1613 - 1680)

I ran across this quote when I serfed the net and spent a majority of the night reflecting upon it (I love the mental excercise). It made me think about the what faces we put on for people we meet. Bosses, co-workers, associates (is that the same thing?), even families and friends. We (or society) preach these messages about being ourselves and all that. Bullshit!!! Why do we feel the need to hide ourselves from the world and those we are closest to? Is it fear of being judged? Is it fear of being alone? What is it that we are trying to hide?