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Purim Themes: Taking Our Mask Off
The story of Purim is filled with characters hiding behind a mask and shielding their true identities and beliefs. In the Purim story, Esther hides who she is and what she believes to ensure her own safety, especially from her controlling and powerful husband, as well as for the safety of the Jewish people. This theme certainly resonates today where we can hide behind our social media accounts. We can put on one mask to go to work and another with our friends. We can also try to shield our true selves from a partner we care about and don’t want to scare away.
For a lot of us, keeping the mask on for as long as possible in our intimate relationship is ideal. Here we are falling in love and enjoying our time together. Who wants to shatter the illusion of how great we are, how great everything is? The reality, however, is that the good stuff comes when the mask comes off.
Taking Our Masks Off
Thinking about taking our mask off, sharing our vulnerability with our partner, is an important relationship gut-check.
Consider what might be making you hesitate. Is it not wanting to shatter the illusion you’ve built? Is it general nerves around talking about difficult topics? Or, is it a fear for how your partner might react? Concern that they may break your confidentiality or not be supportive? If it’s the latter, then take some time to consider the relationship overall. If it’s the former, then consider taking the mask off.
Vulnerability in a relationship equates to comfort, safety, security. Only when you are your true, authentic, messy self can your partner fully understand who you are. That’s the good stuff.
