Real World: Senegal

I hear people described as 'fake' a lot. I used to wonder what that meant; I had a general idea, but there are a lot of words that I only have a general idea about. One of my dear friends, Lindsey, has always talked with me about fake people and about people that irritate him because of how fake they are. I typically agreed with him about a lot of it. A month and a week into Santa Monica Chocolate and I have a greater understanding of what not being real is than I ever have before. People Love to put on a facade. So many people wear masks so big it makes me think I'm at a masquerade. People hide who they really are: they keep inside all of their struggles, their feelings of inadequacy, their emotions, repressed, so afraid of judgement that they would sooner reveal to everyone that which doesn't exist than expose the themselves truly. People have been too hurt by judgments that they are now afraid to be judged. To those people I have one thing to say: get over it. It's true that those who judge you based on your character and act accordingly are ridiculous and often cruel, but that is no reason to be a cruel and go into a shell. It sounds harsh, but right now I am very frustrated with people who do not admit to being broken, people who put on a veil of perfection, covering up all of the judgments and sin that they attribute to other people. And Christians are the worst at it. They have this impression that they cannot be broken, that anytime someone sees what they really think and their real motives they will be destroyed. I think that it is a two-way street: stop judging and stop covering up; be real, be open. One cannot happen without the other.
I went sharing with a guy from Senegal yesterday. I was with my friend Alexa, and we just wanted to talk with Josheph. He was an extremely interesting guy: the son of an Imam, twelve siblings, could sing in four languages and do so beautifully, loved religion, was stoked on the very idea of freedom, and just enjoyed our company. He was real. Their was no facade no idea of being fake within him. He was so thankful to meet us that he was upfront and honest with us just because. He revealed to us some of his thoughts, some of his opinions, some of the injustices he's faced, some of his struggles, and sang us a beautiful African song. He never put up a mask, there was never pressure, on the conversation. It was literally just a chill conversation.
Now I am left to try and reconcile the two: the realness of Joe, from Senegal, and Lindsey and other people who care not about the savior that I so vehemently serve, yet the fakeness of people who serve the same God I do, when these are the people who should. I do not know what the difference accounts for, but I do know that I hope it changes. I hope the people who insist on putting up a front would bring it down and settle with who they are.
Good Luck and Good Eats
~Cody