It’s not just a reference from the "Shrek" movie. We are all onions -- every one of us. Sure, you could arguably say something logical like, “we’re all human,” but there’s more beneath the surface. We all have layers, and when the layers are peeled away, each layer gets smaller and smaller, to the point where the layer is not clearly detectable from the surface. As each layer is peeled, you will be okay at first, just peeling and chopping as normal, until you can’t help but tear up at the onion’s pungent acids secretly irritating your eyes. You’re not always in control of the tears, but as you dig deeper to the surface, it just happens.
We are onions. We have layers. We have deeper feelings and issues that are seemingly microscopic or undetectable from the surface. However, we don’t embrace this. We deny it and insist we are free of all deeper conflicts because we feel we are alone in our feelings. Even more often, we feel we are a burden to others if we tell them how we really feel deep down. If someone asks us how we are, we simply say one of our biggest everyday lies of all time -- “I’m fine.” As onions, we’re scared that we will burden others because our layers are too deep and too pungent to reveal them to the world.
It’s as if we believe that there truly are perfect, polished humans that have achieved a life of pure and total happiness. If this were true, then happiness would have to be correlated with perfection, and we know that perfect humans simply do not exist. In fact, nothing in this world can be perfect. It just can’t happen.
We will never be perfect, polished humans. We are onions. Some of us may appear white as snow on the outside, but in reality, we have hidden layers beneath the surface that no one may never see unless we are pulled up from the bottom and sliced open. But we will never be perfect or polished, so we must realize that when onions are sliced and chopped, they give the meal a taste that couldn’t be achieved without their powerful flavor. In other words, our layers and deep issues are what makes life interesting. They are what make a happy life worth fighting for. They are what make us truly human.
Imagine if everyone accepted their identities as onions. We all have hidden emotions and issues that may be too powerful for us to even handle, so maybe we’ve never revealed them to others. If we all accepted that not one person is perfect and polished, then we would be more sensitive and in-tune to the reality of life’s obstacles. Embrace your layers. Don’t deny the power that embodies your hidden emotions. Then, next time someone asks you how you are, you can answer them truthfully, because, in the end, we’re all onions with layers.
