Whenever I think pink, I think of two things: the Victoria’s Secret lingerie line and my cheeks. The cheeks on my face, of course! I blush often and on a spectrum: pink for mild and deeper pink/red in extreme situations. When I am feeling nervous, embarrassed, shy, shameful, aroused, or modest–my cheeks let you know first. I guess you can say I wear my emotions on the outside.

I’ve always tried to hide it, but never have I been completely successful. It’s not something I can control. So, I’ve tried to cover it up–leaving where I am immediately, excusing myself to another room or outside, flat-out hiding my face, saying it’s getting “…really hot in here,” casually using my hand as a fan to my face, and many other “tricks.” The thing is, I have met countless others who try to hide their own blushing misfortune–there are even drugs people take and surgeries people undergo in order to reduce it.

Why do people want to hide it? My guess is because people want to hide their emotions. After all these years, I am finally starting to somewhat accept and embrace my blushing. Maybe I am feeling flustered, embarrassed, or modest, but I’m starting to not care about showing these things. I am human. I am a real person. I feel things.

Embracing my blushing and seeing it as not a problem, but something that just is–has brought with it a lot of positives, and some negatives. But I always try to look on the bright side of things… If I always hid my blushing, I wouldn’t have had that heart-to-heart with a stranger, I wouldn’t have made that other girl feel better about herself, I wouldn’t have gotten that free coffee and bagel, I wouldn’t have gotten that special smile from someone worth-while, I wouldn’t have made that little boy giggle, I wouldn’t have been called out in a crowd, I wouldn’t have made that new friend, and a whole-lot more I just can’t remember right now.

Blushing, I conclude, just shows you are human.