A Word about “Warts and All”
A Word about “Warts and All”
By his own admission, Oliver Cromwell was not the most attractive person in the British Empire. In December 1653, he became head of state as Lord Protector. (Click of the image to learn more.)
In that era, dignitaries like Cromwell, when sitting for a portrait, would often instruct the artist to use an early version of Photoshop, meaning to make the subject of the painting look more attractive (or less unattractive) than they actually were.
But not Cromwell. His painter was Sir Peter Lely, and Cromwell is alleged to have said,
“Mr Lely, I desire you would use all your skill to paint my picture truly like me, and not flatter me at all; but remark all these roughnesses, pimples, warts and everything as you see me, otherwise I will never pay a farthing for it.”
Thus the phrase, “warts and all.”
For those of you old enough to remember comedian Flip Wilson’s character, Geraldine, “What you see is what you get!”
Think authenticity, humility and genuineness–warts and all. Think transparency! I don’t claim to be perfect, but I am honestly who I am, with all my faults and foibles. I am not wearing any masks, playing any games or hiding behind any facades. I am not trying to be someone I am not!
Don’t you love people like that? Aren’t you drawn to humble, unassuming, authentic people?
Remember, the people to whom we are drawn is usually a good indicator of the person we really want to be!
Guess what? If you are not already, you can become that person.
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