1) The document discusses how people often wear masks to hide their true selves out of fear of others seeing who they really are. It argues that to find our authentic selves, we must confront our fears and remove these masks. 2) The author attended a Mask Festival in Venice and took many photos of masked participants. They then imagined backstories for each mask based on their appearance and behavior. 3) The author believes peeling back the layers of our masks through introspection can help us discover our inner light and true selves beneath superficial exteriors. They encourage readers to lose their masks and show their authentic selves.

1. Are you Masking your Fears?
By Ally G. | AQENGLISH.COM
Get rid of your mask. The real you- is good enough!!!
In my professional life, I write and translate stories or the messages behind an
event, an organization, a company, a product, a service, a campaign, a
photograph, and so on ...
I'm passionate about languages and different cultures, and therefore, this time
I’m writing just for my own pleasure – and perhaps for yours as well – about
masks festivals around the world taking place at this time of year and that
signify something about the culture of the people and the country. The ‘Mardi
Gras’ in New Orleans; the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro; Purim in Israel and in the
Jewish communities worldwide.
Inspired by the Masquerade Festival in Venice, Italy, where I visited two weeks
ago, I’m curious to uncover the story behind the masks.
What lies behind the mask?

2. Everyone wears a mask
On a certain level, we all deal with fear – the fear of others seeing who we really
are or seeing our true selves. The fear of confronting the beliefs which limit us.
This fear, this avoidance, causes us to wear one kind of mask or another, thus
becoming anonymous – safe from our own selves, hiding behind walls we have
constructed.
We let fear hide our true self, of exposing our truth.
Our mask hides from ourselves and the world, our real and most beautiful parts.
The mask is colorful, decorative, and creates an impermeable external beauty
between ourselves and the world around us.
Often, we become too used to the mask – which is comfortable, soft and warm –
but can also devour us, not letting anyone get close enough to see the inherent
beauty beneath.
To find our authentic selves we have to stand tall and confront our fears, dig deep
into the most obscure parts of ourselves, deep into that "terrible" place where
our fear hides and is so ominous.
As in nature, if we dig deeper we will find not darkness but light; not ‘nothingness’
but hidden treasure; and thus by removing the mask, we will discover a wealth of
light instead of shadows . . . it's a kind of ‘game’ we play with ourselves. We will
not understand how to find the light until we have removed the mask. This
involves a ‘leap of faith.’ Beauty is the understanding that this light is our true self,
our authentic self, covered over the years layer upon layer, for so many reasons
and due to many life events.
I sensed this game while I was watching the Mask Festival in Venice – they allowed
us to approach and then they drew back; they played for the camera and then shied
away momentarily. They posed for the audience playfully, but there were no
features of joy or smiles on their real faces and we really could not get too close.
Everything remained hidden, secretive, aloof and distant behind the impressive and
beautiful façade … At the end of every performance the players remove the mask
and return to the true story of their lives, to themselves ... until when?

3. Now I'm the photographer as well as the writer.
While arranging the many pictures I took during the festival, I decided to jot down
some of my inner thoughts, associatively and spontaneously, like a child.
What had I really felt about the people wearing the masks? What were the
messages they conveyed to me? What had I sensed, or understood from them?
What caption was I associating spontaneously with each of them? What did I
imagine was their background story??? What background story emitting from
them did I sense?
I thought about the masks for a moment and many questions came to mind:
Why did they chose this particular costume? What was the story behind this
particular mask? What secret? What does the picture show??

4. These are the titles that came to mind:
'The Elephant Man & Frankenstein' –how the audience responds to deformity and disability
The ‘Scanner’ – examining everyone ... observes everyone from a distance

5. 'The Queen of Darkness' – a wicked and devious witch
"Beauty for a Day" – to feel beautiful & really get attention...

6. "The Audience’s Favorite" –an opportunity to be at the front, just for one day ...
"As if a Couple" –the feeling of togetherness and cooperation ...

7. "The Whisperer &her Confidant" – a "forbidden" relationship behind the mask .. Shshhhhh !!!
"Terrifying Dracula " – feeding on human blood in order to live forever ...

8. "The Lovers" – today we can be "us" in mask only ...

9. Above, I am happily sharing with my "new friends" the play of imagination
expressed in my blog. They loved the idea and asked questions. What a
fascinating encounter... I was invited to play again next year -send me a ticket-
😊. I plan to write the blog in Hebrew, but I promised them my blog in Italian and
English, and it is already being uploaded...
Epilogue
I came to my hotel amused and tired, but also full of thoughts – encased in a whorl of mystery
and imagination... Was it only my imagination?
Was it a reflection? A reflection of my image? What did I see about myself? Who am I? What is
my authentic self??
So, let's get real.
Lose your mask. Show your true self! You are good enough!
** I continue writing my own book like an eagle swooping to his destination. It left the nest
about 3 years ago but will soon find his place in the light 😊
So stay tuned!