Read The Warning Label

Lennon and I watched a cartoon called, Avatar, which he explained to me was in Japan. I was impressed that he knew that, but the show was actually thought provoking too. The main characters went to the theatre where they saw themselves portrayed in a play. Their reactions were very much what mine might have been in the same situation.

I wonder what most of us would think if we saw ourselves as others see us? As the family photographer for the past thirty years, I have avoided having my picture taken whenever I can. Last year when someone asked to see a picture of me, I realized just how big a deal it was. I have spent almost a year dealing with this on many levels.

This is really only looking at myself from my own point of view. I realize that most of the people in my life see me all the time. It isn’t the shock to them that it is to me. Teaching preschool was often an eye opener. Most three year olds have not discovered tact, for them life is what it is. I heard a little girl breathing very hard one day when she was playing in our large muscle room. Thinking something might be wrong, My co-teacher asked her if she was okay. Her answer? I am Mrs. Angell today! I don’t know why I had been breathing so hard, but after being made aware of it, I consciously stopped.

Very few of us have any idea how we appear to others on a day to day basis. I really only know one person who consistently sees himself acting and reacting to his world and the people in it and he appears to accept himself exactly as he is, which is quite a gift in my opinion. Of course, he is also one of the most delightful people I know, kind, caring, funny, sweet, and very real too, not afraid to show his anger, or his tears. Most of us aren’t quite so accepting of ourselves, but we should be.

Accepting myself for exactly who I am is not a fool’s errand. It comes with a warning label that should be heeded. Proceed slowly, with love and great care, human heart involved