I came across this quote a while back and it kinda just “hit me” in the gut.
“The most destructive thing I’ve ever done is believe someone else’s opinion of me”
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this quote… How many times, in our lives, people put us down and bully us without knowing the full story?
How many times have we been compared to others and we are told we do not “measure up” to them? As if living is a competition on who is more educated, more beautiful, or who makes more money? I’ve learned along the way that the most wonderful people I’ve ever met are not the most successful, nor the most educated. The most wonderful people are those who are caring and compassionate, who have empathy and know that a kind word goes a long way. You know, those people that know when you need a hug or a kind word to get you through the day.
I’ve always been amazed how kind many strangers have been toward Nicky, and appalled how relatives don’t even bother to ask about him at all, as if he didn’t exist. Interestingly enough, those are the exact relatives who always judged me and gossiped behind my back.
Truthfully, I no longer care about what others think of me. I live my life. I take care of my family. I love the people that love me, period. I am not perfect, and I will never be, but I will not be compared, nor be made to feel “less than”. Life is not a competition. The best thing we can do is be ourselves and learn as we go along.
I believe we should never compare ourselves to others and we should never allow others to do that to us.
But there are other things I wholeheartedly believe. Here’s a few:
I believe you should be able to get cancer treatment even if you are poor.
I believe miracles happen all the time – we just have to open our hearts and minds to recognize and appreciate them.
I believe that if someone wants to be part of your life they will make an effort to be in it.
I believe into delving into self-help and motivational books in an attempt to find new ways to look at things.
I believe that special need children are precious and remarkable, and have so much to share if one just make the effort to recognize it.
I believe we should NEVER judge people and situations we know nothing about.
I believe family is EVERYTHING.
I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected.
I believe it takes a lot of effort to choose kindness when you are filled with anger, joy when you are feeling defeated, and hope when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Special Needs moms know this well.
I believe that when you don’t resolve or deal with things… they never go away.
I believe that I have lived before and I will live again. Too much synchronicity between certain relationships I’ve had with people proves that to me.
I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a buy a house and a BMW! As if.
What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Waiters and Waitresses should not have to rely on tips to afford their car payment. Top tier companies should not have employees on food stamps, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and have a roof over their head, be able to go grocery shopping, afford a set of wheels and even enough to be able to have some fun every once in a while. It’s called human decency.
I believe that life isn’t fair. And that’s okay. It isn’t meant to be.
I believe that my health should not be a commodity sold to me by corporate America.
I believe that there are some really wonderful people in this world—cherish them. Let them know they are cherished. Say “I love you” often and mean it.
I believe we always have to TRY. Better to have disappointments than regrets…
I believe I should never be ashamed of my story. I am a mess—an imperfect, scarred up mess. But, that is what makes me beautiful. That is what makes everyone beautiful. We don’t need to hide our scars, they are the pages in the books of our lives.
I believe that my son has made me a better person and helped me grow and open up my mind to grow more as a person myself. His light beams bright, and he makes this world a brighter and happier place with the purest of love he shares with the world freely just by being who he is.
Love & Light,
