October 10, 2012

Elevator

A girlfriend of mine recently met a stranger who told her,"I can see you're a very insecure person, who tries very hard to cover that up by acting confident and dressing stylishly."

She was down for quite a long time and didn't dare looking in other people's eyes as she felt very insecure.

I was fascinated at how easily she let her self worth be determined by some stranger's words.

This is what I told her,"Our sense of security and self worth goes up and down sometimes. Even Gisele Buendchen can feel insecure at times, I'm sure. Maybe you were at a low point, and the stranger's words were somewhat true. But everyone can relate to insecurity. Why do you have to take it so personally? It happens to everyone, anyway. Imagine you failed a test, surely you would feel insecure of your ability but if you passed it with distinction, you would feel on top of  the world. It's as simple as that."

And she was happy again.

I'm beginning to wonder, is this for real? Why do we care so much about what others, strangers think of us? Unfortunately she's not the only one.. Most people I know tick the same way. Isn't it a pity that people are so sound asleep?

When will we stop standing in a closed elevator, in which people outside can press the elevator's level buttons and there we go up and down without control of our own elevator? When will we start learning to press the buttons ourselves?

I know it's easier said than done. But I believe that practice makes perfect.


October 9, 2012

A little self reminder

Said the self-righteous preacher,
"What, in your judgment, is the greatest sin in the world?"

"That of the person who sees other human beings as sinners,"
said the Master.