Thoughts—Me	
QUICK CHECK:
1. The Mask poem:  Why does the author keep the 	
mask?	
2. Why is the author afraid to show "you ME"?
3. What does the author want when the mask is 	
taken off?	
4. How does the author feel with the mask off?
5. How does the author feel if you love all that 	
you see?	
6. When will the author be able to put the mask 	
away for good?	
7. What 2 things does self-love soil grow?
8. Lincoln: Who is his friend?
9. L'Amour:  Who is needed to make you 	
somebody?	
10. Bennett: Stop caring about what?
11. Sadat:  What was he brought up to believe?
12. Hubbard:  Who is your most neglected friend?
13. Write down one quote that you enjoyed 	
reading. 	
I am somebody.  I am me.  I like being me.  And I 
need nobody to make me somebody.
   —Louis L’Amour
Every man is the painter and the sculptor of his own 
life.      —St. John Chrysostom
Follow your heart, listen to your inner voice, stop 
caring about what others think.  —Bennett 
    
Observe all men; thy self most.     —Ben Franklin
I was brought up to believe that how I saw myself 
was more important than how others saw me.
   —Anwar Sadat
Probably the most neglected friend you have is you. 
   —L. Ron Hubbard
A beauty is a woman you notice.  A charmer is one 
who notices you.  —Adlai Stevenson
Don't let other people decide who you are.	
The Mask	
I keep my mask right with 	
ME	
everywhere I go,	
In case I need to wear it,
so ME doesn’t show.	
I’m so afraid to show you 	
ME,	
afraid of what you’ll do.	
You might laugh at ME and say 	
mean things,	
Or I might lose you.	
I’d like to take my mask off,	
to let you look at ME.	
I want you to try and understand,
and please, love what you see.	
So if you’ll be patient and close your eyes,	
I’ll pull it off so slow.	
Please understand how much it hurts,	
to let the REAL ME show.
Now my mask is taken off.
I feel naked!  Bare!  So cold!
If you still love all that you see,
you’re my friend, pure as gold!	
I want to save my mask,
and hold it in my hand.	
I need to keep it handy in case,
someone doesn’t understand.
Please protect me, my friend,	
and thank you for loving ME true.	
But please let me keep my mask with me,	
until I love ME too.	
Self-love is the perfect soil from which to grow love 
FOR others — and grow love FROM others.  
He is my friend and he is me.—Abraham Lincoln
I won't let someone walk though my mind with their 
dirty feet.        —Gandhi
Thoughts & Quotes