Be Yourself

A visitor was walking through the gardens of an insane asylum when he met a young man reading a philosophy book. For his manners and the health he portrayed, he didn’t quite match with the patients there. The visitor sat beside him and asked, "What are you doing here?"

The patient looked at him surprised. But as he saw that the visitor wasn’t one of the doctors, he answered, "That’s very simple. My father, a brilliant lawyer, wanted me to be like him. My uncle, owner of a large commercial warehouse, wanted me to follow his example. My mother wanted me to become the image of her beloved father. My sister always cited her husband as the example of a well succeeded man. My brother tried to train me to become an excellent athlete like him.

And the same happened with my teachers at school, the piano teacher, the English tutor: all of them were convinced and resolute; they were the best examples to be followed. No one looked at me like someone should look to a man — but as if they looked into a mirror."

"That way, I decided to admit myself into this asylum."

"Why?"

"Here at least, I can be myself."