Worldwide Stew

Be kind to yourself first

The first person to whom you should be kind is yourself.

You might think I’m talking about narcissism. I’m not. A narcissist is an extremely self-centered person who has an exaggerated sense of self-importance. By definition, they don’t find it hard to be unkind to themselves.

It’s hard for me to write about this because I often feel unkind to myself. I’m learning, though, that a lack of self-compassion is harmful to everyone who surrounds the self-judgemental person. It messes with how we live with each other.

The Saturday Night Monster

The Saturday Night Monster

Late on Saturday nights, the most frightening monster of all enters our home. It drags me to the fridge, seizing my hands and coercing them into into the freezer section. Resistance, as they say, is futile. Before I know it, I’ve succumbed to it’s cruel overtures.

If I were more mindful about the Saturday Night Monster,

Or, if I wanted to be more mindful about the Saturday Night Monster,

You are beautiful

I was passing through the living room. An advertisement was on the television. I feel a special contempt for these kinds of ads. A woman had used some kind of special formula." As a result os using the preparation she said, I was beautiful."

No, dear lady. To the extent you’re beautiful, it comes from the inside.

In the many years I cared for very sick people, I saw many of them when they regarded themselves as ugly.