A Resolution

For few years now I have been a member of vocal media. As of this very moment, per my profile, I have 555 “stories” here. Of course, in a few minutes when this is posted, that will tick over to 556. I am quite enamored of that fact, to be honest. Still, until yesterday I was using a profile pic of myself from 1985. Said photo is show below:

Upon reflection, given the turning of the calendar to a brand new year, I began to feel a bit like a fraud. I have a decent number of very talented writers on this site who read, like, and comment on the majority of my posts. [To be fair, I return the favor by reading my fellow writers posts as well with kind comments made]. Was I being truly honest with them? Or was I trying to fool them with a false icon/avatar?

I glanced at the calendar. JANUARY 2025. “Hmmm,” I thought. “Andrew, you are 62 years old. Why in the world do you have a profile pic taken 39 1/2 years ago when you were a 1st Lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps? Does that image say who you are…, or merely who you were?

Certainly I am no longer a 23 year old shavetail lieutenant. Since that time I have written and published two full novels with a couple more in the works. I have fathered and raised, along with my lovely wife, three children and taken custody of and raised as our own my great nephew. [His name is Colttin and he is the son of my niece - my brother’s grandson. My wife and I took custody of him from the Department of Children & Family when he was two years old. Colttin is now twenty-five and none can claim he is not my son.] My children are now grown at ages 38, 37, 32, and 25 years. Andrew, you are now the grandfather of 7 7/9 wonderful children from ages 7/9 years (Wrenley Catherine Ann McDonald shall grace us with her blessed presence in March 2025) to twelve years. You have had the honor of being married to the love of your life for thirty-nine years and counting. You are NOT that 23 year old anymore.

So…Inspired by my emotional attachment to my fellow vocalists, I finally decided on my New Years Resolution. For 2025 I resolve to Be Who I Am. I even published a poem on this site about my resolution. Said poem was graced with a Top Story, for which I am grateful. Should you like to check it out follow this link. https://vocal.media/poets/the-new-me-4113h208xf

Regardless, I didn’t write the poem to gain followers or get a TS bonus. This poem was written to explain my resolution to be who I am and, hopefully inspire others to try to do the same. Be Who You Are letting none gain say your choices. So… I took the picture at the top of this little tale yesterday, January 5, 2025. It is now my profile pic.

One of my subscribers, a very talented writer on vocal - Sam Spinelli - said:

“Both are cool enough pics. At first I had no idea who was showing up in my notification feed because I usually notice the pics before the names of the people I follow. I like the concept of this poem, very timely considering the new year :)”

That was made on the short senryu I also published to let everyone know who the suddenly appearing old guy in their list of subscribed to writers actually was. Yep, it’s me…Andrew C. McDonald. The one and only. I have lifted the false curtain that hid me in a veil of vanity and stepped into the light as my true sixty-two year old self. Also, I really like that red velvet coat. I just purchased it two days ago with the intention of wearing it to the upcoming Renaissance Fair in my local area.

I shall try to be true to my resolution, to the best of my ability. It is my sincere hope that others may take a cue and try, in their own fashions, to do the same. It would certainly help those on dating apps and other social media platforms. Honesty in imaging would avoid many embarrassing misunderstandings and/or “awkward moments.” I’m fairly sure most of you have an inkling of what I mean. 😉

For me personally, it feels like a soul cleansing in that I no longer feel that I am fraudulently misrepresenting myself to those kind enough to look at my humble scribblings. It is my sincere hope that the Me of Today has learned from the Me Of Yesteryear. It’s time for an upgrade. Let it be now.

In the immortal words of Popeye the Sailor Man (as played by the beloved but, very unfortunately, deceased comedian Robin Williams), “I yam what I yam, and that’s all that I yam.”

So, for 2025, I resolve to Be Who I Am. We’ll see how it goes. Thus, I took the photograph in order to upgrade my approach - here and on other platforms - to a more honest one. For me… that was a powerful moment.