Authenticity & A Cappella

One of the hardest challenges in life is overcoming what people think. We're often so consumed with the fear of being viewed as abnormal or weird that being genuine can feel silly. Giving compliments or articulating heartfelt thoughts might make others feel uncomfortable and as though you're being "cheesy," so we often alter how we state our genuine feelings in order to come across more authentic. What a backwards thing to do. Why do we find it so hard to simply accept loving words or zealous testimonies as the pure truth? Perhaps most of us do, in fact, appreciate people who express themselves (in positive ways- not airing dirty laundry), but there's usually a twinge of discomfort as if there's no way a person should bubble over with that much passion. It almost seems too personal. Or maybe it causes unease because we don't share their same level of "goodness." There's no way they can truly care so deeply...I must be worse of a person or they must be disingenuous. For the sake of our pride, most of us go with the latter possibility.

These thoughts came flooding through my mind tonight while watching "The Sing Off," a show about a cappella groups. One girl was explaining how her group made her heart feel at home during the first year of college and immediately followed up her words with a giggle and "I know that sounds so cheesy." Sadly, we're so used to cynics rolling their eyes that we often justify positive things that come out of our mouths. "I know its sounds silly, but..." or "Don't laugh, but..." Come on, people! We're all the same. Everybody has emotions. What a glorious world we'd live in if strangers felt comfortable exchanging compliments or we could post lots of uplifting quotes on our Facebook statuses without the fear of someone saying "Oh, that Shannon girl is so full of hot air." I'm not saying that positivity doesn't exist, of course, but as a whole, we live in a very cynical world. Let's take the time to unabashedly open our hearts to those we love, encourage people without holding back, and give compliments whenever we think them. After all, isn't that what everyone tries to fit into their last few years of life after realizing it's what they should've been doing all along?

The Pearls at one of our member's wedding this past July!

We don't need to justify thoughts, anyway, because our fellow human beings will understand. They get it. Few times do you have a thought that hasn't been thought by the person sitting in the cubicle to your left. It might have a different twist or perspective- hence why interesting conversations arise- but people are people and will relate to almost anything you say. Unless you're actually a nutjob. But I won't attempt to tackle that issue in this blog. When the girl on The Sing Off talked about her group with such affection, Brittany and I both exclaimed "Me too! Me too!" The Newport Pearls, my a cappella group at CNU, was a sisterhood that shaped my entire college experience. My heart is so connected to those girls. Pearlfriends were our family away from family. A cappella groups are what I might equate to a sports team: you become like siblings because you are working together to achieve something. You get annoyed, disagree, argue, compromise, and overcome. You spend a whole lot of time in close quarters trying to be productive, even when all you want to do is go to your room and finish a paper or watch a movie with your boyfriend. Dedication to the ensemble forces members to see each other in the best and worst of conditions. The end product is a bond of friendship that is unbreakable and unconditional.

My final concert with The Pearls. Probably not our best song (and my camera sound quality stinks), but that's not what it's about anyway :)

Appropriately, my first trip home since moving to NYC is this weekend for a retired Pearls retreat. Those of us who have graduated rented a house in the Outer Banks... I CAN'T WAIT!!!