Lipstick Fades?

Lipstick fades.  These two words come from a song that I have loved since high school.  I remember vividly as a seventeen year old who was trying to define herself I would sing these lyrics and wonder what twenty-three would look like.  It felt so far away and I had dreams and aspirations of what I thought my future “should be”.  I then recall my twenty-third birthday and realizing that not only had my preconceived notions been incorrect, but I remember again singing this song and wondering what twenty-three would hold.  Now I look at twenty-five and again… my plans are usually wrong but unlike the seventeen year old me that is okay.  I now focus on something other than plans when I listen to the lyrics of this song.  I focus on the title.  Real.  What does it mean to be real and how has the real girl who was seventeen, overly confident and secretly fearful changed into the real, twenty-four year old who is somewhat confident and openly fearful.  In all “realness” I can embrace the conundrum of being fearful but not scared.  I can embrace that fear often comes with starting a new journey and that for me fear can motivate to accomplishment.  At this point I have already gotten ahead of myself.  Here are the lyrics:

Plumb- Real

Look at me I'm twenty three
Beautiful a sight to see
Tonight

A little dress to draw the press
And I'll be leaving
All the rest behind

Well be pleased girl
If this is what you wanted
The whole world is watching you take the stage
What will you say

Aren't I lovely
And do you want me cause
I am hungry for something that will make me real
Can you see me and
Do you love me cause
I am desperately searching for something
Real

I close my eyes imagine time
Will not forget
My sacrifice

I numb the ache and decorate
My emptiness
Stand naked in the light

Well be pleased world
If this is what you wanted
This young girl is everything that you made
What will she say

Aren't I lovely
And do you want me cause
I am hungry for something that will make me real
Can you see me and
Do you love me cause
I am desperately searching for something
Real

The world goes home
The lights go down
My lipstick fades
Away

And do you want me cause
I am hungry for something that will make me real
Can you see me and
Do you love me cause
I am desperately searching for something
Real

From seventeen to almost twenty-five these words have remained a small thought that tends to pop in my head.  The lyrics in particular just jump into my consciousness almost every day and I hum a few bars before heading on to the next thing which demands my attention.  Why these lyrics have stuck in my head for years I do not know.  I have my assumptions, some of which include the fact that the longer I write on here the more you will notice that music lyrics tend to stick with me, possibly the fact that this particular song came about during a time in my life where I really was searching for identity and as the song says “something real” or maybe it is because without knowing it this song somewhat defines why I am motivated in my future career and my desire for realness both in myself and for those that I have the chance to help in a time of need.  Real.  This is something that we are flooded with on television and in the media with “reality” television and a push for no longer holding on to secrets but how real are we with one another?  At any moment how many people know the real version of us rather than the façade that we choose to portray to each person that we come in contact with?  I know that I have facades.  Sure, I would love to act as though I am genuine at all times and I do believe that I am on journey on genuineness yet it is difficult to always be who you are…for better or for worse.  The name of this blog comes from the lyrics of this song and that at the end of the day the lipstick fades and we are who we are.  So who do you want that to be?  I guess all I can say for now is stay tuned!