Tuesday, April 5, 2011

April 5: Be You

I had a great conversation with a friend the other night about the importance of being yourself, specifically when it comes to close, personal relationships.  Being unique, quirks and all, is something we should cherish, not try to hide.  If we find ourselves "switching hats," as he put it, then there is something unbalanced and untrue about the way we are living.  And how many times have we been disappointed by someone in our lives who turns out to be different than they'd  led us to believe?
In "Harold and Maude," a movie I love for it's poetic wisdom, off-beat humor, and originality, they visit a beautiful field full of flowers.  At first Harold says that he'd like to be like one of them, because they're all alike.  But Maude is quick to correct him, "Oh, but they're not," she says.  "Look.  See, some are smaller, some are fatter, some grow to the left, some to the right, some even have lost some petals.  All kinds of observable differences.  You see, Harold, I feel that much of the world's sorrow comes from people who are this (she says, holding a single, unique flower), yet allow themselves to be treated as that (she says, gesturing to the entire field."
     May we all try to be our true selves as often as possible, to bring all of our costumes we use throughout life- mother, daughter, sister, wife, professional, spiritual, into harmony with one another.  May we try to live out of a balanced consistency of spirit and character, and never be a stranger to ourselves.  May we try to love ourselves and each other for our unique differences, and work together, like different colored crayons, to create a more beautiful picture.  And may we each find someone who can love and appreciate those differences without seeking to "bend or remove" parts of our character.  That is my prayer for all of us.

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