Friday, February 13, 2004
Yesterday, looking at the ocean, I thought about what a rare thing it is in this world it is to find a person that feels good about themselves most of the time.
We certainly all have our days…but what I mean is that I think we live in a world and in a culture which does not at all promote perpetual self-confidence. To really love and feel good about yourself, nearly all the time, almost makes someone a social outcast in this world. Many people can’t relate to it and assume it is arrogance. Even the words in one’s own mind might say, “is it okay that I feel this good about myself all the time?”
It is almost like a cultural burden and sometimes personally I feel I “should” be towing part of the line. But that is ridiculous. The best thing we can offer others is not to share in their misery falsely just so they have someone to “relate” to, but to be an example of what you truly are at all times.
I think it is a natural intent to better oneself in this life, to learn and grow over and over. At the same time, the more we can see ourselves as perfect just the way we are, the faster we will move along that path. Consumerism, politics, and religions have thrived for ages, and still thrive, on our not feeling quite “good enough”.
Right where you are at this moment you are whole. You are complete. You are forgiven. You are perfect and exactly as you are meant to be. Have you paid yourself any complements today? Does that feel arrogant to you? Hope not…but just in case it feels strange I will start.
I have trusted life today, and given love today, and done my best today…I love who I am.
If we can’t love the god within, life will reflect that around us. Start by loving who you are…you know small steps are okay. If this is a hard topic for you, try loving yourself just for one minute today…and then celebrate that minute and don’t worry about what else happened in the day.
I was once part of a meditation where we were taken on a long sound journey. We were told to journey into the earth and for 10 or 15 minutes we slowly drifted into a deep meditative state and I gave myself all of this time to travel deep into the earth. We were told to meet the spirit in the center of the earth and receive a message. Ready for this intense moment, I felt myself finally reach the center and a being spoke to me…
“Don’t be so hard on yourself!”
That was all it said! Then I shot back up to the surface in a heartbeat and started laughing. All that ceremony to be reminded of something so simple that is so easy to forget. There is nothing spiritual about berating yourself…there are no extra points for focusing on your “faults”.
You are perfect and whole…just remember that being gentle to yourself is being gentle to others and to the world. As I heard this morning…take the gentle path.
You are a rose.
