I Like You For You

Let’s you and me have a talk.

Let’s talk about inspiration.

What exactly is inspiration?

Merriam-Webster defines inspiration as:

a: a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation

 

b: the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions

 

c: the act of influencing or suggesting opinions

So, I'm going to share a few of the things that inspire me...Look out for the challenge

First, I was at work today when this came in on one of my social media sites. I watched it, wiped away the tears and then decided to write this blog post. INSPIRATION!:

 

This video is beautiful. Gorgeous. Meaningful. This video should be required viewing in schools. This video should be given an Oscar. This video should be shown everywhere. Everyone should have to watch it. Hear the message. Be the message.

I really can't say much more about it. I saw it and knew I had to share it with you. Do me a favor and share it with your friends and children.

And then there is this video:

 

How cute and right and cute is this kid?

He totally has my vote for President!!!

I highly recommend you check out his other videos. Nashville and I were talking him up at a gathering of our friends from high school and we just can't get enough of him. He makes me giggle and there really aren't enough giggles in the world these days.

He has the right idea and a great delivery.

We should be a party!

We should stop being boring!

We should all be on the same team.

"It’s like that guy Journey said…Don’t Stop Believing... Unless your dream is stupid, and then you should get a better dream."

(Best line ever)

~ Kid President

And then I was also inspired by Mr. Rogers. I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. He taught me (though I didn't know it at the time) that I was special. That I was allowed to have the feelings I had. That all I needed to do was find a way to express them. His Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award Acceptance Speech was a superior example of the beauty of love and humanity, not to mention humbleness.

 

He really was a beautiful human being and I'm very sad that I never got the opportunity to hug him.

 Something I read this morning had a quote from him in it:

“Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.” 

~ Fred Rogers

It’s the perfect description of love. Exactly how it should be. Love is a struggle. Loving your spouse. Loving your children. Loving the elderly parent you are caring for. Loving your neighbor or co-worker. It’s always a struggle to love someone. But it’s a struggle worth struggling.

It’s even harder I think to love yourself. And you can't really love someone else to the fullest extent possible until you love yourself. Can you?

Do you look in the mirror and love what you see?

Do you accept yourself for yourself?

Do you know how special and worthy you are?

I know I don’t.

I’m being brutally honest here…I don’t like what I see in the mirror.

I don’t know how to accept myself as I am. I always seem to think something about me needs improving (I’m right…but the way I think it isn’t healthy).

I have no idea how special and worthy I am. No clue. Sometimes I get just a glimpse. A glimmer. Like a piece of glitter that is stuck to your nose…sometimes the light catches it and it catches your eye and you go cross eyed trying to see it again. Turning you head this way and that to make it catch the light. But you never seem able to. Until someone else sees the piece of glitter and removes it for you.

So today’s challenge…

Go into this weekend with the plan to find the glitter. Don’t actively look for it, because you won’t find it. Being special isn’t something you can actively do.

Be mindful of your actions.

Be aware of the words you say.

Know that at some point in this weekend you are going to BE special. And then go and enjoy your weekend. OK?

Say it with me…BE SPECIAL!

Because you are. You are special.

Mr. Rogers taught me that.

“I like you for you.”

~ Fred Rogers