Natalie

stunningsuperiorself-assured

Power is an accessory. It is like a piece of exquisite jewelry that never goes out of style. Anyone who's anybody is sure to have it. And just like an extravagant diamond necklace, no one wants to keep it hidden. When you have it, why not flaunt it?

That's what I was raised to believe. I was told to show off my wealth by flaunting fancy, designer clothing, I was to display my superior knowledge through cunning and strategy, and I was to exhibit my power through sheer ruthlessness. Nothing that reaffirmed my unsurpassed supremacy was to remain hidden.

Power isn't something that you keep a secret. What you do with it, maybe, but power itself? Not at all. The more you flaunt it, the more of it you will have. It is something that a person wears on their sleeve, determining their importance and superiority in the world. All of my life, I've been attending exquisite social events with the upper crust of society, and every time, the guests and hosts are judged by their outward appearances. Who has the flashiest necklace? Who has the most stylish shoes? Who has the fanciest purse? Power is exactly like that. People judge you by how much you have, so you had better flaunt it when you've got it.

Accumulating power is just another hobby of the rich. Just as they collect shoes or antiques, they collect power. The funny thing, though, is that it never gets old. Unlike an outdated pair of shoes, its only use being to adorn the feet of a commoner, power never falls from favor. But, like collecting shoes or with any other hobby, it is a contest. Who has the best? Who has the brightest? Who has the most?

It is simply another rat race.

I was once a part of it; I was one of the top competitors in the contest. Never was I far from the front. The end always seemed to be in sight. Now, however, I feel like giving up. It has finally drained me, worn me down. I've grown tired of it, what it has done to me. I feel like one of those hamsters on a wheel, running forever and ever, but never getting anywhere. That, I suppose, is what finally got to me. It was a sudden realization that made me question everything that I had been born into, everything I had been raised to believe.

This rat race that we are running - it will never, ever end. There are no winners.

XoXoX