Keeping it REAL?

Keeping it REAL: This is a statement that is valued in the streets! But what does that statement really mean? Being REAL? Is anybody ever really totally being REAL? Are you going to be real if your life is at stake, and you have to lie to save it? Are you going to be real if you are on the verge of losing all your money, and the only way to do so is to lie and be fake?

There is a price to pay for being real, authentic, and sincere! To admit that you’re wrong, and suffer the consequences that come along with that truth. Being real feels good as long as it makes you look good! But being real when it doesn’t shine a very good light on you is a whole other story!

In the streets when you have a reputation of keeping it real people tend to respect you more, and trust in what comes out of your mouth! Your words hold weight! That is part of what we need in our world right now! People with words that we can trust! Words that truly reflect what the person believes, because their actions also lineup with them!

Their attitudes are a reflection of what they are saying! We as a society are not effectively listening to what our leaders are saying! We’re looking at what we want to see, and missing what is being said! Keeping it real is based upon what is being said, and what is being done! If there is not an alignment in both then you should be cautious! You should start asking questions, and then listen attentively.

NOTE: Most of us see what we want to see in others in spite of the facts that begin to cause us concern about that person. Then what happens is you realize that the person is not keeping it real. You begin to question yourself what is being said and done. But in not saying, and doing anything you yourself no longer are keeping it real. You are not being honest with that person! So you fake it to make it look like everything is OK.

That takes a lot of time and a lot of energy. So at this point, my Christian friends are saying to themselves you just need to pray for them! God will deal with them! The Bible says to speak the truth in love to one another. There is always a time and a place to do something. But when weeks turn into years how is not keeping the truth about how you feel towards someone keeping it REAL?

Keeping it real takes courage! And it starts with keeping it real with yourself first! And if you are a Christian it also means keeping it real with God as well! No more fake smiles! No more fake laughing at jokes you don’t even find funny!

It really does start with you! Your attitude! To understand the reasons why you want to be real, and not fake. Not a hypocrite! The act of being real has to have value to you! It has to mean something to you, before, you can help it mean something to others! I am on my journey of what that means to me. I use the Bible as my compass to help me. It starts with me wanting to be REAL! No more lies! No more half-truths! Own my mistakes, and stop pointing fingers!

These words are my interpretation of what I believe keeping it real means. You may not agree, but this is just me trying to encourage others to please: KEEP IT REAL!

-Angel Negron-