People Puzzle

Constant smiles and mediocrity

I wonder if you are mad or merely

happy - and then I know

only that I want to laugh

at you, be ever so slightly

insolent.  I caught a

glimpse of myself in you.  I

change my face and see

your smile fade.  Now I’m

laughing at myself.  We

want to fit in so we sacrifice

the best of ourselves to the

rest of ourselves.  Our

need to fit in is a mask

for our real need - to fit

together.

by Tracy Oliver

November 7, 1998