“It is never too late to become what you might have become.” ~ George Eliot
We all, in our own ways, sometimes treat our inner selves with something far from kindness and love. We walk around concealing our shame, those past experiences we are not proud of, our bad habits and our insecurities. I have issues that I am more than afraid to tackle… we all do. And yet, one by one, I am doing it. I am shedding the extra layers and lifting up my arms to realize that there have been wings hidden there all along.
Knowing that I hide things from people that I wouldn’t want them to know about me is one thing. Learning about what my beautiful friends consider to be their own secret shame is shocking and revelatory. No matter what it is, I see them from a perspective of love and acceptance that I was not giving myself. I look at them with forgiveness and pure grace, something I find very difficult to do for myself. In gifting each person we meet with forgiveness and lovingkindness, we are gifting the same to ourselves. And wow does it feel good.
I would rather feel the soft peace of understanding and love toward someone than my old standby – judgement. I readily welcome feelings of acceptance and empathy, which just don’t leave room for harshness, sarcasm, or anger.
I have heard it said that you can’t truly give love to another person until you love yourself. And yet I have found that my route to self-compassion and self-love comes by way of seeing the vulnerability in others. We do not need to be perfect to be loved. We all struggle. We all need to be healed. It has been in reaching out to other beautiful souls that I have seen the light.
This post was inspired by the life-altering connections I am making in Julia‘s online SoulClass, Getting Naked. I highly suggest you gift yourself her course. It’s 40 days (just the beginning of a lifetime) of knowing, living unapologetically, and loving yourself.
i can so relate to your words of wisdom, naomi;
letting ourselves be loved sounds so simple but i find
it harder than i expect. little secret pockets of shame
seem to be bumped by life and exposed and I realize i’m
hiding in that place. I guess that’s why a bumpy road isn’t a
bad thing:) Healing and help come in the wobbles, I guess.
Thanks for sharing the loveliness of your heart,
Jennifer
Jennifer Richardson recently posted…hugging the brave of me….
Lovely post Naomi. And I wish you continued grace as you let yourself see more and more of your light. I think you’re spot on about the value others hold for us in looking at and seeing ourselves. I believe we all hold up mirrors for each other and we’re meant to dance in connection – I see you, I see me, I love you, I love me, I love me, I love you.
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Naomi,
I smiled when I read that you are lifting your arms and finding your wings! How beautiful that image is in my mind. And that soft peace of understanding and love. You describe so well what the experience of the last few days have been.
I’m so grateful that we are sharing this part of the journey together!
Love ya!
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I love this post! I love that you are “…shedding the extra layers and lifting up my arms to realize that there have been wings hidden there all along”
You truly inspire me, Naomi! Thank you!
Precious Naomi – I’m sitting here with goosebumps & a heart overflowing with so much love & gratitude. Your words reached inside and gently nudged my insides awake…
It is such a deep, deep honor to have you in this class.
And your art! I love it.
Embracing you right where you are…
Great post.
naomi this piece is so beautiful…and what i really love is the peace and acceptance in yourself that allowed it to flow forth. just wonderful dear friend.
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