Sometimes advice, from those who want you to be better seems so conflicting...

The following passage sums up many situations where people DON'T act because they fear that others will think they are vain or conceited. My friend, Winston Marsh has a saying:

"Mothers tell us as children... don't skite, it's impolite."

And these conflicting messages lead us the following quandary, beautifully written by Marianne Williamson in her book A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

It was written by Marianne Williamson and it is an excerpt from her book A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles.
 

So, encouraged to believe in ourselves we venture forth, and start to achieve and believe we have a place in the world. And at that time, we are returned to humility by these words, written nearly 50 years ago by Saxon N. White Kessinger;

"There Is No Indispensable Man"


Sometime when you're feeling important;
Sometime when your ego's in bloom
Sometime when you take it for granted
You're the best qualified in the room,

Sometime when you feel that your going
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow these simple instructions
And see how they humble your soul;

Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in it up to the wrist,
Pull it out and the hole that's remaining
Is a measure of how you will be missed.

You can splash all you wish when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop and you'll find that in no time
It looks quite the same as before.

The moral of this quaint example
Is do just the best that you can,
Be proud of yourself but remember,
There's no indispensable man.

 

So, you ask, what are you to make of all this?? Live life to the full is my advice, and do no harm.