Hanging on my fridge is my favorite comic from "The Far Side" by Gary Larson. The first frame is a row of beautiful flowers with the caption "How we see flowers". Under this frame is a second frame with another row of flowers. These flowers are funny looking with goofy faces and big noses. The caption reads "How they see themselves".
How often do we see ourselves as goofy looking flowers or even weeds? So many people I respect and admire go through life putting themselves down and minimizing the great qualities they have. These same people have no problem seeing the great things in people around them. We all know that we are children of God and he gave each of us great ability and talents on different areas. But it is so much easier to see the good qualities in others and minimize the great qualities in ourselves.
I remember thinking that once I became an adult, confidence would be my constant companion and I could leave that awkward teenage years. Ridiculous, I suppose. The awkward teenage years are far behind me, but now I am right in the middle of the awkward adult years. I am still not great in crowds, or at making new friends. I still worry over how I look before I leave the house. And every time I think I have something figured out, something new comes along to stump me. It is all part of the learning and growing process. But like many people, I don't give myself enough credit for the accomplished and great person I am.
The same problem creeps up on me when I write. I can work on a story, revising over and over, and yet it never seems quite good enough to let anyone else read. I still see my writing as the funny looking flowers and yet others seem to enjoy the garden of words I plant. That is why I keep the flower comic in plain sight so I can read it every day. I need that constant reminder that we are all better than we give ourselves credit for and sometimes for a change of pace, we should try to see ourselves as others do.
4 comments:
Oh, to look in the mirror is to see all. The good and the bad. Can we live with it? No. That's why we don't look in the mirror. Those who do- are either very high and mighty or they are low on bended knee seeking forgiveness from our Father of all their weaknesses.
You are right though- we like to see the great qualities in all around us...then compare them to our not so good qualities. It's very self defeating. A wonderful tool satan loves to use.
Sometimes it takes others to point out our good qualities to value them. Instead of shrugging them off...ponder them, even accept them. It's hard to do- but if we do that we will grow stronger and more confident in ourselves. What happens when we are confident in our selves? We can rub it off on others! By spreading love and cheer from our hearts we can lift others too. :)
The Far Side happens to be one of my favorite comics. I have it as my desk calendar myself.
Today:
A picture of a couple sitting on their livig room couch. She is holding a book in her lap with her mouth open, {speaking to her husband}- He is reading the newspaper. In the back ground you see the front door ajar and a duck walking down the hall coming toward the livingroom.
The caption: : "Here he comes, Earl...Remember, be gentle but firm...we are absolutely,positively, NOT driving him south this winter."
I got a good giggle- So cute! Especially since I'm a parent now. :)
I love the Far Side too -- never fails to crack me up.
God sees us the way we see flowers. Don't forget that.
Self confidence is a hard skill to master - I'm on your side. I thought once I left the skinny, gawky, brace-faced pimpled 16 year old behind I'd be a confident accomplished woman, but I still have many of the same fears and anxieties. I'm also just learning how important those are to learning and growth.
It is just a constant learning and growing process. When we get comfortable with one thing, life just throws us somethings else. Keeps things interesting anyway.
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