6 Things You Can't Hide From

When I was a child, one of my favorite games to play was "Hide and Go Seek." I considered myself the master hider - always finding the most unlikely, obscure places to disappear to so that no one would be able to locate me. Oftentimes, it was only my laughter that gave me away as I peered from my hiding spot at the puzzled look on my would-be captor's face. Never lacking in the giggles department, I would eventually erupt in to laughter and give myself away.

I was not unlike other children who enjoyed Hide and Go Seek. There was something quite addictive about using my ingenuity and creativity to hide away and not be found. Amazingly, in adulthood there are many of us who play a similar game - sometimes without even being aware of what we're doing. Some hide from other people for one reason or another, while others attempt to dodge things that are very much a part of life. I have learned however that there are some things that are simply inescapable.

The Truth.

Just about everyone hides from the truth at some point or another. Whether it's the reality of a life circumstance, a toxic relationship, an error in judgment, a negative pattern of behavior or something about ourselves that is not as we would like for it to be, the temptation to hide is always out there. The "adult" term for this is denial. Denial implies that while one may not be physically hiding from an aspect of truth, they are still dodging it as best they can. This is usually done on a psychological level, though it can also have some physical repercussions, such as stress-related illness, insomnia, etc. The thing about the truth, however - to use a phrase that is perhaps already being overused - is that "it is what it is." Denial of its existence does not change the fact that it exists!

Yourself

There are a multitude of reasons why an individual would want to hide from him or herself, including guilt, shame and low self-esteem. Some people are quite adept at deluding themselves (for at time at least) and those with whom they come in contact about who they truly are. We see this a lot among celebrities, politicians, business leaders and other high-profile individuals, who often feel pressure to live up to a certain image. But it is also a characteristic of many ordinary people who for one reason or another do not feel comfortable in their own skin. Sometimes life seems like one big masquerade party - leaving much longing for genuine connections, and at the same time generating skepticism over whether such connections are indeed possible. The problem with wearing a mask though is that it's only a mask - it does not replace the true person. And even if one manages to fool everyone else for a while, they must sooner or later come to terms with their true self.

Love

There are some people who claim to have never experienced love. Love, in this context, is portrayed as a shallow "feeling" that comes and goes like the wind - a wind that hits some individuals and not others. But how can something as genuine and powerful as love discriminate? Could we be naïve enough to think that some people are just lucky enough to experience it, while others are not? Real love is nothing like this. It is much greater than just a feeling. It is at the very core of human existence. We are all here on this earth because of love (I'm not referring to the "act" that brought each individual here, but the love from whence humankind originated). And while some of us may lack the understanding, willingness or maturity to embrace that love, it is a constant. It never dies. It was when I personally accepted this as fact that I truly came to know love.

Time

No matter how many scientific advances are made in the world, it is not possible to stop time. People may live longer than ever before, and some may even have the financial means to alter their appearance and slow the physical signs of aging, but the reality is that time keeps on ticking. If you've ever taken a much-needed vacation, found yourself up against a critical deadline or lost a loved one, you know all too well that time doesn't wait for anyone.

Change

Like the seasons of life, change is inevitable. Change is one of the most feared things on the planet. For a lot of people, change represents a loss instead of a gain. This is the case even when change is for the better. People are often more comfortable with what's in front of them than the unknown - no matter how ugly, disturbing or ineffective the status quo happens to be. But growth often comes out of change, and in order to grow, one must find the courage to leave their comfort zone.

Death

It amazes me how many books and articles exist that provide us with "secrets" to living a longer life. Of course, life can be cut short by self-destructive behaviors, and we all know there are a slew of those that people engage in on a daily basis. But the fact of the matter is that death is unavoidable, and no one knows exactly when they will take their last breath here on this earth. Perfectly healthy people die every day, for a variety of reasons. Does that mean don't eat healthy, exercise, get enough rest, etc.? Of course not. But it does mean that our time here is limited, and we must focus on the quality of life instead of the length of it.

One thing that I learned about Hide and Go Seek as a child was that no matter how clever a person was at hiding, they would eventually have to come out. I also learned that while I was temporarily amused and sometimes even impressed by my ability to outwit whoever was searching for me, there was a certain relief when the game was over. It was sometimes lonely there in the darkness. Even if I was hiding with someone else, we were both crippled by our inability to speak above a whisper, along with our fear that one of us would inadvertently give our location away.

The most important lesson I took from all of this and carried with me into adulthood is that it's pointless to run or hide from the things in life that simply are what they are. No matter how uncomfortable one may feel at times in their own skin, handling the truth, embracing love, adapting to time, accepting change and acknowledging death, these things are realities that we must all face at some point or another.