"If you probe deep enough into this important question of love, you see that you can't love another person unless you love yourself. (I might prefer to say 'love your soul,' because this is not a selfish love that we're talking about.) It also works in the other direction: you can't love yourself unless you have the openness to love another. These two are inseparable, and if it seems to you that you are doing one and not the other, you are probably weak in both."
The concept of loving oneself has been on my mind the past few days. I think about it in my own experiences and in the experiences of those around me. Hence the following (mostly) focused rant:
Don't ever try to be someone other than yourself. I know, I know. You hear that all the time. But I actually mean it. I don't think you should stand for someone telling you that you should be someone other than yourself nor should you stand for letting your own mind make you dwell on that notion. Don't ever try to be someone that is not the person that God made you to be. You were meant to fit one mold--your own. We aren't all created differently from one another for the heck of it. We are created differently so that we can live in a world of diversity where we learn from one another's differences and grow exponentially from that learning. I get that doesn't happen a lot of the time. And that's why I want to take the time to say something now.
Tell it to your children. Tell it to your spouse. Tell it to your siblings. Tell it to your parishioners. Tell it to your clients. Tell it to your best friends. Tell it to brand new acquaintances. You were not made to be like somebody else so that you can get along with them better. You were made like you are to be your own person and to contribute to the world your own gifts, humor, insights, ideas and dreams. Do not be self-conscious to the point where you have no self-confidence. Be self-conscious to the point that you do your best not to oppress others and to make sure that you're doing all you can to give to others your time and gifts to the very best of your ability. Be confident in who you are. Nobody can take your confidence in your identity away from you except you.
You are not more important than anyone else, but you're important. You're not more special than anyone else, but you're special. Effectively living in the present means not taking time to analyze what others think about you. Have you forgotten who you really are due to trying to impress so many other people? Are you so caught in that web of trying to please other people that you can't seem to get yourself unstuck? Ask God to guide you out. God knows you better than anyone else, and God always knows the way back to the light because, well, God is the light.
And on the good days where you do realize that your uniqueness is a gift and you're able to embrace who you are as a person created by God, realize that there are many others around you who are struggling with such a concept. We need to take the time to share with each other that gift of reassurance that we do matter to God and to others. Part of loving God, loving others, and loving self is making sure that the three of these concepts work together fluidly to reveal the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Notice a theme here? Love. It is vital to the understanding and spreading of the gospel message, to carrying out the mission that Jesus started so long ago.
Point of this post? Be yourself and rejoice in the wonderful creation that you are. Right here, right now. Nobody else is exactly like you. How cool is that? You are the only you there will ever be. No more letting each other hide behind masks of conformity. No.
We must embrace and encourage our individuality so that we might live into our communal efforts for the transformational vision, healing, and love to which we have been called.
You matter. Starting today, please don't ever doubt that fact again.
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