"Real"

Someone recently to me as being one of the most “real” people they had ever met. I thought about it for a while, wondering what characteristics made me what they called “real,” and what exactly they meant by “real.” What is the definition of being real? Not being a fake, I guess. Maybe it’s not what I do, but what I don’t that pegs me thus? Hmm…then what do I not do? I don’t party, I don’t do illegal things, I don’t socialize all that much, I don’t pretend to like people when I don’t, I don’t make small talk, I don’t watch scary movies, I don’t play rugby…I don’t do a lot of things! Surely this can’t be what they meant. So what about the things I do? Well, that’s a lot of stuff to list, so I won’t. What about the things I like? Do those make me any less fake, any more real? Perhaps it’s my presentation of all-of-the-above—my don’ts, my do’s, my likes, my dislikes. Maybe it’s not what I do, but how I do it? I really just don’t know. It’s not like everyone is wearing a mask and I’m not. I’m confused and intrigued, and I must confess it was a cool thing to hear.