Self Appreciation

Dear Reader,

My birthday was last week. I truly enjoyed the day, going on a long hike and picnic with Louise and having a tasty Mediterranean dinner with family in the evening. My mother-in-law even made whoopie pies – not exactly Mediterranean, but they were delicious! Perhaps what I loved most about the day though, was the deep feeling of gratitude I felt for my life, for all the people I know, for the opportunities I have to contribute to the world – and simply for my own existence.

What better time to appreciate your own presence on this earth than your own birthday?

It hasn’t always been that way for me. As a kid, I loved birthdays – not just mine – with the excitement, the gifts, a cake with flaming candles. I remember going to a birthday party where instead of playing “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”, we played “Pin the Rose on Garfunkel’s Nose!” How cool is that for a birthday game? And at one of my own birthday parties, we played “Pin the Eye on the Monster” – even cooler!

Later in life, I went through a phase of downplaying my birthday, or not acknowledging it at all. Sometimes this was based on circumstances, whether because my birthday fell on a day when I was working, or I was far from home, or I was simply alone and didn’t want to celebrate by myself. Sometimes, that’s ok. I would be the first to agree that birthdays don’t have to be a big huge deal. But other times, I probably felt that I didn’t have anything to celebrate.

My larger point is not really about birthdays. It is simply this: shouldn’t there be at least one day out of the whole year when you honor yourself? When you stop to appreciate and perhaps marvel at your own existence? Think about it; your soul signed up for the journey, agreed to take on the human form yet again. From a ripple of intention in the universe, and one act of love by your mother and father, you grew cell by cell into the miracle you are. You travelled the great path, with all its ups and downs, thought by thought, action by action, word by word – to arrive at this moment. Isn’t that worth celebrating?

In fact, isn’t that amazing feat, your own here-and-nowness, worth appreciating a whole lot more often than once a year?Do you think the world might be a little different if more of us spent a little time each day just appreciating who we are? Yet you and I know that many people don’t do that. Maybe you are, or have been in that place. Maybe you know someone in that place, who has difficulty appreciating or even accepting their own beautiful being-ness. Maybe… a little celebration couldn’t hurt?

If you haven’t yet celebrated your birthday this year, take a little time early on that day to reflect on your life. (If your birthday has already passed, try this anyway!) Think back to a few of your earliest memories of childhood, and what you know of the day you were born. Then just let your mind travel forward, stopping where it will to reflect on events and experiences in your life. Allow yourself a sense of wonderment that you have taken this path, made it this far, met the people you have met, done what you have done. Even if you have crash and burn moments in your history (and you probably do,) see if you can marvel at those as well, if nothing else because you survived them.

Finally, allow your mind to arrive at the present moment and reflect on who you are right now, with your present awareness, your sense of compassion, your love of simple, or quirky, or predictable things. If you really open to it, you may find a profound sense of gratitude and appreciation for your own dear self welling up from within…

Well done, dear reader.

I honor your loving heart,

John