"I Have Spoken"

Reflection #11: Chameleon of Life – Holding the Mirror Upside Down ~Self-Acceptance~ So you feel healed? You have come to a realization of who you are and you think you are ready to live? Perhaps you are but now, what is living? According to our faithful dictionaries, living is defined as, 1. Possessing life; alive. 2. In active function or use. 3. Of relating to persons who are alive. 4. Suited for daily life. (Getting better) 5. Full of life, interest, and vitality. (Hmmmm…) 6. True to life. (Wait a minute! What was that again?) 6. True to life. Interesting! Just what we are speaking of - being true to life. True to life. True, meaning resembles life, as in an image or true, meaning honesty? I’m sure that the dictionary is speaking of resembling life but let’s take it a step further. How about being honest about who you are and accepting it. So what if you’ve had a harsh past, why should you be ashamed? Why should you allow it to define who you are today? Remember, our past is a learning tool not a defining torch. In the Self-Awareness phase, we recognize who we are but what do we do with such a revelation of life? First, we must accept ourselves as is! If you think of a beautiful portrait of a woman, say…the Mona Lisa, she appears to just be an innocent beauty but if the pain that she experienced in life were visible on her face, would she still be such a pretty face? Pictures tell a thousand words but only if we look deep into one’s eyes are we able to relate to their pain. There are many beauties that walk around looking as if they have a “perfect” life. The reality is that many people have learned to camouflage their scars in order to be accepted in society. It is more important to accept ourselves than to fit in with society. Yes, sometimes what the mirror shows us is hard to accept and even a bit scary, but in order for us to grow to the next phase of life, we must accept that the mirror doesn’t lie. It shows us what we really are, in all glory! What about the individual with an eating disorder? She sees herself as fat even though she’s very thin. This is because the mirror reveals your PERCEPTION of what and who you are. For many people, his/her perception is far from who they are. Some are convinced that they are ugly based on what they’ve experienced in the past. They see scars on their smooth scar-less face. Some people see beauty. It’s like the half-filled, half-empty glass. Which is the most positive way to look at the contents in the glass? Half-filled seems to be the correct answer because you are seeing opportunity to grow but consider half-empty. Both actually can give hope. It simply depends on the individual who is holding the glass. So people may look at life in a positive or negative way. It doesn’t matter what your hand of life looks like, it’s full of opportunity so live with optimism and make the most out of what life has provided for you. When you walk in your bedroom or bathroom, stop and really look in the mirror. Be sure to see the true beauty in you. You may have to look even deeper than you ever imagined. It is that person whom you need to release daily in order to find true happiness. Say hello for me! :) ********************************************* “I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing: through every dark night, there’s a bright day after that. So, no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep ya head up.... and handle it.” Tupac Amaru Shakur (1971-1996)