Monday, December 14, 2009

Absolute Truth: The Lie Within Myself

Years. Months. Weeks. Days. Hours. Minutes. Seconds....They all pass by so fast sometimes. It's hard to catch up to life. And when I do, I don't ride life. I let it ride me. For weeks I've been pondering about how to write this post, and about how I would handle officially posting it. Because this blog post of mine won't be like my others. This one will not be censored by anything. It will not be about anything but myself, how I feel, what I fear, who I am....nothing but me. And if that interests you, then I'm surprised. If not, you can imagine I'm not surprised.

On Twitter I am known as Gypsyladyamber, just as I am here. On Twitter people say I am confident, funny, outgoing, and positive with a zest for life. They also think I'm older than I am apparently. Which is a a very good compliment considering a lot of people my age seems complete dunderheads. And some think I'm British. I've ignored that. I figured the mystery of not knowing my age, or what Nationality I am, would keep my followers interested because I'm already not interesting.

In order for me to be completely truthful in this post I do have to let the mystery fade and brake. So here it is. I am 17 years old, I live in America and am not British. My name is Amber and I live with my mother. My father just died in October, I only just started to know him because I only just found him in Febuary of 2009 and I didn't even get to meet him. We only got to talk by e-mails and phone. I had a step-father to the age of 14 and unfortunatly he is still in my life and I fear, will always be in my life. I have no job and I am studying for my GED that i hope to take sometime next year when I feel I'm ready. And while I consider myself to be a Gypsy I do not consider myself any of the things that my Twitter followers and Twitter friends consider me. Not even what my own family and friends consider me.

I am weak. I am a coward. I am fearful. I am a lie within myself. I try so hard to portray a confident young female who knows where she is going and knows what she wants. But I am not. But apparently I can fool people.

And I'm scared. I'm scared down to my bones because I am scared of things that it seems no one else around me is afraid of. For instance, I am afraid to drive. I'm fine in a car if someone else is driving but the idea of myself being behind the wheel and controlling it is damn frightening to me. I don't believe I'd be a good and well-rounded driver. I don't think I can handle it.

And even when someone else is driving I get these scenarios in my head of what could happen, and it's always more than one scenario. So the idea of being behind the wheel as my mind goes through those scenarios detail by agonizing and scary detail is torture and terrifying for me. I've driven my mom's old car before, three times and each time my heart varied between stopping and thumping at a speed that's probably not healthy. That was months ago. I haven't gotten behind the wheel after that, and each time my mom asks, I say no.

I had a job at K-Mart last year. I lasted 3 months and loved what I did most of the time. Maybe that's because I worked in the shoe department and that's a complete girl thing. At the time K-Mart wasn't in control of the shoe department, it was another company that just signed a lease with K-Mart to sell under their store name. So I didn't have to use a cash register, which relieved me more than you can imagine. I didn't have to do anything but organize the shoes, which trust me, wasn't as easy as it sounds, and I had to help customers find the shoe they wanted, the size and such. And I'm pretty horrible with communication but it helped that problem a bit, not that it does much good for me now cause I'm back into my old distant ways.

I lost my job on the last day of my, what they called, 3 month training. Because after 3 months you have to file 3 warnings in order to be fired, if you've been working for less than 3 months than you can get fired off the spot, no warning required. That's what happened to me. My supervisor told her boss that I wasn't fast enough with my job, that I didn't work and that she caught me with my cell phone out once. The first reason was only partially true, I had my slow days and had my fast. The second wasn't true at all because I'd forget to take my lunch until my shift was almost over already. The third reason was true because that one time was an emergency.

I almost pointed out to my supervisor that she had her cell phone out twice in front of me, once to call her daughter and tell her a song that she loved was on when we weren't on break. And the second to text someone. I didn't point it out though, I was too crushed to speak. My mother spoke for me because she too worked at K-Mart at the time.

Losing my job just made me feel like a failure, it still does because I enjoyed what I did because it was perfect for me. I hate cash registers because I know that if I use one I'll screw up the entire purchase of a customer each time and they seem to complex to figure out for me. I'm not saying I'm stupid because I know I'm not. Deep down I know I'm not. But I feel like I am sometimes because I do know that I couldn't work a cash register correctly, when thousands of people my age can. So I haven't gotten a job because I'm afraid to fail, which in turn makes me already a failure. Even I know that because it's only logical. Yet I can't find the strength to go out there and try, I can't find the courage.

I am a coward. I am a failure. I am weak. And I am scared. I'm talentless, dreamless, hopeless....I wish I could add fearless to that less list but I can not. I'm sitting here already scared because I'm finally putting these words down on my screen. I'm finally making the words that were only thoughts before official. And it scares me to my core.

I don't know where I am going, I don't know what I want to do, and I don't know where I can go with my life. It seems like such a waste, my life. But I stay for several reasons. My mother, my brothers, my family, my new found family, my friends and to endure every second of my life because I believe I should.

I probably sound whiny. Maybe I am. But I promised nothing but absolute truth in this post. And absolute truth is what my readers will get from now on. So continue to read if you like, if you want to read the ramblings and thoughts and opinions of a talentless failure that calls herself a Gypsy Lady.

"The greatest enemy of any one of our truths may be the rest of our truths." ~William James

"Truth is no Doctoresse, she takes no degrees at Paris or Oxford... but oftentimes to such an one as myself, an Idiota or common person, no great things, melancholizing in woods where waters are, quiet places by rivers, fountains, whereas the silly man expecting no such matter, thinketh only how best to delectate and refresh his mynde continually with Natura her pleasaunt scenes, woods, water-falls, or Art her statelie gardens, parks, terraces, Belvideres, on a sudden the goddesse herself Truth has appeared, with a shyning lyghte, and a sparklyng countenance, so as yee may not be able lightly to resist her." ~Charles Lamb

















10 comments:

  1. The way you feel after putting these thoughts and feelings into words is probably the same way Neo would've felt after taking the red pill. You're on your way now...congratulations.

    Thank you for sharing.

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  2. What a touching, raw, honest post. Since you promised to tell the absolute truth, I will do the same: One, the reason people think you're older is that you're a good writer--really good (I'm an editor so I can promise you, this is true); Two, you're very interesting. That's why people--like me--are reading your blog, and following you on Twitter; Three, the feelings you're having are... forgive me, perfectly normal for someone your age. Hang in there. My daughter's 19 and I can promise you, as annoying and painful as this passage can be, it ends and wonderful things happen. Four, lost your job at KMart? Don't take that as an evaluation of who you are as a person. People suck sometimes. People do crazy stupid crap to control each other. Let go of what happened and move to the next square on the game board. Find your people - you'll know them when you see them. Work where they are. You'll be much happier. Finally, keep writing. Keep telling the truth but remember you don't owe us anything. Write for yourself. The audience that's right for you will find you.

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  3. you are stronger than you think you are.
    only a strong person can write her feelings down and the truth about herself.

    i also try to portrait the confident female who knows what she wants, but i`m not.
    and i also will never drive a car, because i`m too afraid.
    i also have problems wth communication, i`m totally shy which is why i probably never get a job.
    i feel like a failure, i`ve felt this way my hole life.
    i have a dad which says i can`t do anything right. that i`m too dumb.
    i can`t even find the courage to go to shop on my own.
    i don`t have the courage to talk to strangers.

    i am also dreamless and hopeless.
    all i do is sitting on my ass and waiting for something to happen, while my boyfreind works his ass off for us.
    i also just stay for my boyfriend and my mum, because they love me.
    i always say i`m fine when someone asks me about how i feel.
    but i can`t remember the last time i was fine.
    i can`t sleep at nights, cause i`m thinking of my wasted life.
    every day i have to suffer from headaches the last few weeks. i could go on, but i`ll stop here.

    and what you did, isn`t rambling.
    its called courage.
    courage to tell the truth and i have to say,
    you inspired me to tell my truth which isn`t so different from yours.
    i`ve never told that to anyone before except to my boyfriend.

    i hope your life will get better
    and i`m so glad we met.

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  4. Dearest Gypsy Lady Amber,

    I am Dree Eno, and you know me as mtngirlDRR in Twitterville. We have traded comments a few times, and I have enjoyed your posts.

    I am 50 years old, but once upon a time I was 17, and I, like you was very afraid. You see, fear has been one of the biggest enemies my whole life. In fact, when I was 17, I was so scared of being out on my own, I ended up having to have treatment for possible ulcers. Turned out I didn't have ulcers, what I had was nerves.

    But I had someone pulling for me then, and I have the same person pulling for me now. Let me share the words to a song that I learned about that time, that has helped me all of my life:

    All along when it seemed so wrong
    To find myself where I didn't belong
    Laying low behind my dreams, I didn't realize the ways and means
    Ways and means of living.

    Ah time you know, is a funny thing
    It holds on tight to your fondest dreams
    You wish upon a star that they'd all come true
    And you try to change, but when you do
    You know that it ain't easy because the hurt...
    Because the hurt's on you.

    Ah but don't find yourself running child
    You've got a hand to lean on
    And it don't matter where you've been
    Or how long you've been gone
    Let him help you on

    It's so good when you've got a friend
    Who won't back out even in the end
    Won't let hate grow in your soul
    Won't leave you standing in the cold
    He'll never take his love and go

    Oh how different life can be
    When all the changing don't depend on me
    And it's so good not to bend under life time and time again
    And the load's so easy, because it's all...
    Because it's all on him.

    By John Fischer

    At any rate, in my life, I have done some amazing things for a person who was once ruled by fear.

    I lived through a war in the Middle East and spent 4 days in a bomb shelter.

    I raised two wonderful girls and had the courage to home school them. I was terrified when I brought my first baby home for the first six months of her life (but it doesn't seem to have ruined her--she just got married last month).

    I currently live in an intentional community, you hear me talk about the ranch, but what you don't know is that for many years, every time I got on a horse, I was afraid.

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  5. Here is the rest of my post:

    There are many other things that I have done and do today, that are done in spite of fear. But the best decision I ever made, was to take God up on His challenge and to see if a life lived in relationship with Jesus Christ could be a life worth living. All these years later, I know for fact that He has never left me alone.

    There have been times when I wondered.. oh the stories I could tell!

    But I must say that when he said I could have peace that passed all understanding, he wasn't joking. He has been the source of my courage. And he has been the one standing behind me always telling me that I was someone special, even when the rest of the world was telling me I wasn't.

    Our lives are not lived in perfection, but they are lived day by day, moment by moment. I had the same fears about driving that you have now, but my parents wouldn't allow me to say no. And I'm kind of glad that they didn't because over my lifetime, I have driven tractors, trucks, pulled horse trailers (that still makes me nervous), and even flown a plane (I got air sick on that one--only time I've ever been air sick), and sailed a 30 Ft. Yacht (that was fun).

    So I hope you'll forgive my long post, but I recognized a kindred spirit, and like Ann of Green Gables, I am always looking for kindred spirits. You may think that you're uninteresting, but you are not.

    One thing that Twitter has shown me, is that God, who created everyone, does good work. He did good work with you as well.

    One of the folks who lives on the ranch, is also very "gypsy" and she is so wonderful!

    I know that as you grow, you will find out that who you are is beautiful and special. And so I'll leave you with these words:
    "Do not fear, for I am with you, do not anxiously look around, for I am you God, I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

    Call me if you just want to talk.

    Dree Eno
    Dream River Ranch
    mtngirlDRR

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  6. I've been staring at my keyboard for a few minutes trying to figure out how to say thank you to all of you in a way that shows you how much I appreciate all of your words. It's amazing to see and know people that care and who have felt or feel what I feel. It's lovely to see that there are people in the world who freely give their advice and opinion and story to someone they don't know. And it's a relief to know that there are people who I can truly call friends though I've not met them. You all are lovely souls in which I will never take for granted. You all are people I admire for your sheer purity in heart that you've just shown me. So all I can say at this point is simple but true- Thank you.

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  7. My Dear Friend - anyone who can write that, let alone share it with others is no coward.
    We should chat on Yahoo email and IM bylightofthemoon@yahoo.com

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  8. You are not alone my dear. And why I am tempted to offer advice and direction, I sense that all you need to know you will discover in God's good time. That pain and fear and honesty about all that runs through you now will yield some rich bounty for you none who would wish you well can predict or design. You will come to that place on your own and in the company of all have journeyed similar paths. You are on your way Gypsy Lady Amber. I have returned to these words over many many years and they always bring comfort and inspiration, may they do the same for you. http://leb.net/~mira/works/prophet/prophet16.html Whishing you peace, a fellow traveler ~ Louis

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  9. Thank you Nadia, I most defiantly will e-mail you my friend. Thank you so much. ♥

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  10. Louis, thank you for pointing me to those words and giving your own words to me as well. I know not what to say but only Thank You.

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