After watching Disneys newest amazing Encanto I have found myself singing the same line over and over and over… and over again. “We don’t talk about Bruno”. It’s a catchy tune, but as my internal record player got stuck on that line it has spiraled me into an endless stream of thoughts.
I won’t spoil the movie for you, but if you haven’t seen it.. you must. And then watch it a second time. This well woven tale has me reevaluating family, and expectations and what we do with the people who aren’t the norm.
Many families don’t talk about their perceived secrets, their Bruno’s I suggest. The mom with depression, the cousin with a drug problem, the grandparents with financial struggles. We are who we want others to think we are. It’s all about perception. Take it as far as we don’t talk about masks, or vaccines, or mental health, or any suffering, or anything different. We have been shamed into sharing our perfections and to pushing behind us the truths.
Why? Why can’t we talk about our Bruno’s? Because everyone is dealing with their own stuff? I’m here to tell you, hiding doesn’t help. Not talking doesn’t help. And no one who truly cares gives two toots about what you think might be imperfect. Who does care? The Bruno’s.
I see the Bruno’s every day. Those that hide their struggles, their differences, their special gifts. They hide because we don’t want them to make us appear anything other than … what? Do we even realize how we have pushed them behind? Forced them to hide?
Over the last few years people have changed. Knee jerk reactions are breaking hearts. Thoughtless comments are hardening souls. Someone recently said to me “I hate people, I like individuals”.
If perception is reality then perception must also be honesty. Your thoughts of others aren’t necessarily their truths. But being steadfast in your perception and seeing only what you want creates larger and larger divides which soon will become impassable.
And so to keep my sanity and my truths, I will continue to talk about “Bruno” and encourage you to do the same. We are not as divided as we perceive, we need only to give the grace to be. And … learn the words to those songs that rejuvenate your joy.
And that bear watching the iPad? I sleep with him, every night. Have since my sophomore year of college.
Keeping (in)Sanity 