is for me, myself and I
While I’m not sure when February 13 got declared as international day of self love, I do know Christine Arylo has been a huge advocate.
I do believe it was originally in response to those who felt disenfranchised by the idea of Valentine’s Day. know Valentine’s Day can be packed with stories for people, and for some it’s a really challenging day they dread. They see only Hallmark-depicted everything-is-rosy coupledom, and anything less than that is a slap-in-the-face-judgment. It can be a ridiculous invitation to pointless commercially-driven over-consumerism. It can be the springboard for seeing everything in your life through the lens of this-is-not-what-I-want. My heart breaks at all of those things.
I would like to see every day be a celebration of love, whether we’re paired, or grouped, or dancing by ourselves. And I believe with all my heart that loving ourselves is the most important piece of everything.
That’s a pretty broad bold statement, isn’t it?
When I was a child, the worst denunciation was to be accused of being selfish. And often the indictment was pronounced merely with the words “me, myself and I.” That’s all it took to bring down a crushing wall of shame which left one small and diminished, and ultimately less connected to oneself.
How in heavens name did that come to be?! When did being full of yourself become a bad thing?
Seriously, why isn’t that the absolutely most wonderful, most authentic, most glorious, most sought after state one can be in? Who doesn’t want to be so aligned with the fullness of their being that they shine it so brightly, so fully, so authentically that there is nothing within them that is not them. That to me is exactly what I want from this life, for myself and for all of us. I totally want to be full of myself, and I with great pride reclaim “me, myself and I” as the highest veneration one can bestow.
Dear Me –
It delights me to say I love you! I feel such joy, such curiosity, such familiarity, such mystery about me. I am this huge gift-wrapped package and even though I have the cover of the box off and I’m busy digging in discovering boundless treasures, I know the box is infinitely resourced and the surprises, delights, strange-wonderfulness will never run out. They’ll be bits I don’t seem to prefer in the moment that perhaps will look differently in another time; there have certainly been things I thought were broken about myself that I’ve come to see were hardly that at all. There aren’t any clear directions with the box – it’s not like a game that comes with hard-and-fast rules. The only instructions I’ve ever heard repeatedly whispered with the gentlest of encouragement has been “meet it all with love.” And so that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m certainly better at it sometimes than others, but I’ve finally figured out that’s okay. It’s all okay. And the truth is, I am so damn grateful to be here to be me that I’m going to play full out. I’m going to be ME, MYSELF, and I with the greatest of joy possible, and I’m going to love me full out as best I can. This is me! And how fun is that?!
Love, Deborah
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I like these images of me. The precious wee me (apparently I hadn’t finishing growing my second leg yet); my favorite self-representation, done from cut paper; and one my favorite selfies snapped last year. As with all the selfies I love best, it feels like a delightful surprise to see something here I don’t normally see in myself. It’s kind of a magical thing – I sincerely doubt you can see it – this is just a kind of ordinary photo of me. And even if you studied it very hard you’d still see just what you see. But what my eyes see is something only my eyes see. And that’s the fun of magic.
What are you loving about yourself today? Every day? Do you see magic in yourself? Do you treat yourself to a Valentine’s gift? Did you know “me, myself and I” anagrams into My Fine Damsel, Dame In Myself, or May Need Films? Find any of those particularly apt? Do tell – you know I love to hear.