The greatest gift...Part II

The greatest gift one can give to another person, is a deeper understanding of life, and the ability to love and believe in self.
                                                                       ~Chantal

The key words in my cherished quote above, are "the ability to love and believe in self."

Growing up in the kind of childhood I had, didn't exactly instill a good self image, which further was not helped by also being the constant "object" of ridicule and rude comments out in public.

I have always been blessed though, with the right people when I needed help the most.  Two of those were when I was still a teenager on my own.

My friend Joseph was like a big brother to me.  He made me see how my upbringing and the public had caused me to carry "a dwarf card."  I was doing extraordinary things, and galloping across fields upon my horses, yet felt helpless against the negative feelings the mean rudeness I encountered kept evoking.

Joseph had me use my artistic abilities to make a "dwarf card" on large poster board, made to look just like a real credit card.  Only this "credit card" entitled
one to feel...and I listed all the negative, sometimes paralyzing feelings which arose each time I was so rudely ridiculed.

Then we went through them all one by one, discussing them.  One for instance, was a feeling of shame.  Joseph made me see I had absolutely no reason to feel shame, especially with all the amazing things I could do and the amazing person I am...that I was letting strangers have power with their terrible words.

After we talked about all the things on my "dwarf card," we had a burning ceremony, which in its own way, became a "freeing" ceremony for me.  All I needed was the right person to guide me when I needed it the most back then.

The other person who gave me the "ability to love and believe in self" gift, was Tom Sullivan, who wrote the book I read as a teenager I mentioned in an earlier blog, "If You Could See What I Hear."  I never met Mr. Sullivan, but his book really taught me to embrace my uniqueness.  

We are all unique, my dear ones.  Love and believe in yourself.