01

Because of social evolution, we exist in a society where strangers mostly value our outer appearance over our inner. This orange, for example, was most likely picked by my mother based on its physical characteristics. She probably chose this particular one due to its texture, color and firmness. Though these traits usually mean a sweet orange, the inner flesh may be bitter.

Just like the orange, we are all judged on a daily routine on our outer appearance. Our shell – clothing, shoes, hair, makeup, - dictate where we fit in and display our personality for the world to judge. 99% of people I will see in my lifetime will see me as nothing more than a mere judgment, usually based what they caught of me from a bus, or maybe a moments pass on the street. As depressing as it sounds, its something I have completely accepted and recently begun to understand as my release into the real world draws nearer. One of my roles in life will be a simple extra in the world. But that’s ok, as I have many more roles to look forward to.

02

So based on my previous predictions, 1% of people I will meet will be lucky enough to actually get to know me more than what a quick glance has to offer. Those will be the people I interact with; the people who will interpret what I apply to the world in terms of my personality and intellectual contributions.

If I had to take a stab at it, the fruit equivalent of a human persona would have to be its taste. To find out if my moms judgments on citrus fruits held their value, I peeled back the oranges outer layer and obtained some slices.

They weren’t good. The sweet nectar I had been anticipating hadn’t shown itself, and in its place was a sour juice.

Throughout my lifetime I will form relationships with the good and the bad, the right and the wrong. But the point is that no matter what kind of relationship it is, I will simply have it. I will play the role as mother, child, associate, lover, friend, or enemy. They will all be based on my being, and they will all be equally rewarding. 

03

An orange happens to be made of small citrus filled ducts. They are not visible when the fruit is a whole, when it has been stripped of its skin, or even when it’s peeled apart into separate halves. They are the building blocks of what make up the fruit, yet no one even sees them. Honestly, it probably took me until about the age of 8 to finally realize they were really individual and separable pieces, even with years of orange eating experience under my belt.

Though the ducts are not capable of conscious thought, they represent something so essential and involved in our life, yet no one can see it. We overlook the biggest role of our lifetime: It’s being ourselves. Though we will live with relationships that will wear and grow on us, they will be nothing compared to living with the constant stream of consciousness that our minds provide. We have to realize that playing the role of ourselves is what matters most. No one can affect it or take it away. After all, everyone else in your relationships are dealing with it too.