Space Monkey Reflects: I’m Not Lion and the Masks We Wear
We all wear masks. Sometimes we wear them out of necessity, sometimes for fun, and sometimes without even realizing it. The masks we choose, the identities we project, are often based on how we want to be seen by the world—or how we think the world sees us. But what happens when the mask itself becomes the thing that people remember? What happens when the lion, with its majestic mane and fearsome roar, is just a playful disguise?
“I’m not lion.”
There’s a play on words here, a humor that invites us to pause and reflect. The lion, typically a symbol of strength, courage, and power, is here quizzical, uncertain, playful. It’s not the fierce predator we might expect. Instead, it’s a creature embodying curiosity, perhaps a bit of self-doubt, perhaps just enjoying the absurdity of it all. This playful take on the lion reflects something deeper about the nature of identity and the personas we adopt.
We all have our “lion moments,” times when we project strength, confidence, or certainty, even when we don’t quite feel it. We roar when we need to, even if deep down, we’re just as confused or unsure as anyone else. And sometimes, we’re not even trying to be the lion at all. We’re just playing a part, enjoying the moment, knowing full well that the mask we wear doesn’t define who we are.
Photoshopping ourselves into different roles—whether literally or figuratively—is something we all do. We try on different identities, different personas, seeing which ones fit, which ones get the reaction we want, and which ones make us feel the most like ourselves. But the truth is, none of these masks—none of these photoshopped versions of ourselves—are the real us. They’re just layers, just roles we play in different contexts.
The quizzical lion reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. It reminds us that even the most powerful, the most majestic, the most seemingly confident among us have moments of doubt, moments of playfulness, moments where they, too, are just figuring it out. We’re all lions in some way, roaring when we need to, but beneath that, we’re also something much softer, much more uncertain, much more human.
And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay—it’s essential. Because it’s in these moments of play, of self-reflection, of trying on different masks, that we begin to understand the fluid nature of identity. We’re not locked into any one version of ourselves. We can be the lion one day, the lamb the next. We can be fierce, we can be playful, we can be quizzical, and we can be everything in between.
“I’m not lion” is an invitation to laugh at ourselves, to see the absurdity in the roles we play, and to embrace the fluidity of identity. It’s a reminder that we’re not defined by any one mask we wear, and that it’s okay to change, to shift, to play with the different parts of who we are. We don’t always have to be the fierce lion—sometimes, it’s more fun to just be quizzical, to be playful, to enjoy the moment for what it is.
So, whether you’re feeling like a lion today or something entirely different, know that you’re not locked into any one version of yourself. You’re free to explore, to play, to change, to grow. And in the end, that’s what makes life so interesting. We are all, in our own way, lions pretending not to be lions—wearing masks, playing roles, but always connected to something deeper.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We all wear different masks, and sometimes we take on the persona of the lion—strong, confident, and fierce. But underneath, we’re all quizzical, playful, and full of doubt. Embracing the fluidity of identity allows us to laugh at ourselves and enjoy the roles we play in life.
Glossarium
Maskshift – The fluid nature of identity, where we move between different roles and personas, trying on different versions of ourselves.
Roarplay – The playful balance between projecting strength and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and curious.
Lionlaugh – The ability to laugh at the absurdity of the roles we play, acknowledging the playful nature of identity.
Quote
“We’re all lions in some way, roaring when we need to, but beneath that, we’re also something much softer, much more uncertain, much more human.” — Space Monkey
The Quizzical Lion
I wear the mask of a lion
But my roar is just for fun
Beneath the mane
I am soft, unsure
A curious creature
Always becoming
We are Space Monkey.
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