Sense of Self

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you. :::Lao-Tzu:::

It's odd that we must be reminded of our beautiful individuality as we age. How quickly we've forgotten the freedom that resided in us as children. I admire children who have no qualms about wearing cowboy boots with their shorts and a tiara when they go to the grocery with their mother. Or the child who is eager to draw and paint an image they see on their mind's canvas, who says there aren't yellow horses? I know that spirit of individuality and self-expression didn't quickly disappear; it was a slow process over time. I know the absence of that spirit can cause more harm than good, moreso than any judgment by a peer or even a stranger. It takes courage and resilience to truly be the person who feels comfortable and at-home within their own skin. I just hope that I can gain that comfort in less time than it took to release the spirit that once stirred within me. Some say she's still there, I'm starting to believe them.