skin deep

some of you may think this post is really dumb, but whatevs, I'm writing it anyway!

how we view ourselves is most definitely not always the same as how others view us. this becomes painfully obvious for people who suffer from eating disorders, they have very distorted self-images. it is true, our self-image is a mix of reality and perception. since third grade i have struggled with acne. i have struggled with the self consciousness and teasing that comes along with it. i have battled through numerous otc regimens, and countless prescribed medications, with varying degrees of success. some of you who know me, may be questioning me here, but yes, I still struggle with acne. luckily this struggle has lessened over time, but its still a struggle. i remember talking with my college roommates on many occasions - discussing our skin ailments and practically competing for who had it worse. i remember arguing that the other person had "perfect" skin and hearing the same words tossed my way. so maybe most of my acne is only visible to me, but in reality it is there (whether or not you notice it). and although i've learned to ignore being self conscious about it, there are still times (even with 18 years of experience) that it really gets to me. there are still times that emotionally it scars me. i bet most of you didn't know that about me. isn't it odd how we don't really know what or how things affect the people around us?