Quotes About Authenticity

I never manufactured my persona.

Remain true to yourself, but move ever upward toward greater consciousness and greater love! At the summit you will find yourselves united with all those who, from every direction, have made the same ascent. For everything that rises must converge.

When deeds speak, words are nothing.

Be what you are; it is better that way. --Dolph

WHAT PEOPLE MAY THINK Some people cower and wince and shrink, owing to fear of what people may think. There is one answer to worries like these: people may think what the devil they please.

I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies.

Why should I be ashamed to describe what nature was not ashamed to create?

I will not steep my speech in lies; the test of any man lies in action.

Learn what you are and be such.

Become such as you are, having learned what that is.

Become what you are.

Forge thy tongue on an anvil of truth And what flies up, though it be but a spark, Shall have weight.

My dad raised me with some good advice: 'Always tell the truth. Always shoot from the hip. You might not have many friends, but you'll never have enemies, because people will always know where you're coming from.'

Truth comes out in wine.

In wine, there's truth.

In vino veritas

In vino veritas ("In wine, truth")

Even so the more a vicious man denies his vice, the more does it insinuate itself and master him: as those people really poor who pretend to be rich get still more poor from their false display.

I don't need a friend who change when I change, who nod when I nod. This is something than my own shadow can do.

Vulnerability is the only authentic state. Being vulnerable means being open, for wounding, but also for pleasure.

But I'd rather help than watch. I'd rather have a heart than a mind. I'd rather expose too much than too little. I'd rather say hello to strangers than be afraid of them. I would rather know all this about myself than have more money than I need. I'd rather have something to love than a way to impress you.

And, I often think, the truth isn't good or bad, it's just the truth.

Love is the only good way many of us know how to feel alive. And the ghost I so often was wanted badly to feel real. And the characters in this section can at least tell you I existed. They might not have thought of me much, but they can tell you I was real. Sometimes too real.

My feelings for Ellen overrode all of my fear about being out as a lesbian. I had to be with her, and I just figured I'd deal with the other stuff later.