"it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are" ~ e.e. cummings

And who are we really? Are we who we act towards others, and how others see us? Are we who we are when we are alone, or with those few cherished friends and family members? Or who we pretend to be to please society? "we all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin" ~ andré berthiaume. How much can we handle before we become a parody of our former selves, behaving how others think we should, acting, pretending to be someone we're not in order to fit it? like the old saying "it is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for something you are not" ~ andre gide. But its harder than some people may think, because some of us are born people pleasers, we want friends, we want people to like us, and sometimes its easier that way - fake it till you make it. But when someone says 'you're not yourself' i feel like saying 'is that so? who am i really? are you sure you really know?' but i just smile and think up a lame excuse, wondering why i cant say what im thinking, all those questions spinning around my head...