You-er than you . . .

 

“Seek not outside yourself, heaven is within.” ~Mary Lou Cook

Popeye the sailor man knew who he was, and made no apologies for that man. “I yams whats I yams and that’s all whats I yams.” He was always making that simple statement. He had almost no hair on his head . . . squinty eyes . . . a very protruding chin . . . odd shaped arms . . . a ridiculous laugh . . . but, at the end of the day, he was Olive Oil’s sweetie pie when push came to shove. She accepted him for who he was. I think that was partly because he was confident in who he was as well. He accepted himself as who he was, made the most of all that he had to work with and, most important of all, loved himself. 

 

Then there’s Olive Oyle. I could never understand what the big attraction was when I was a child. Skinny as a bean pole with that odd nose that looked like a peanut stuck into the middle of her face . . . her hair severely drawn back . . . flat chested. She was hardly the picture of feminine allure . . . but she had men fighting over her . . . regularly. I think I finally get it though. She, too, accepted herself for what and who she was, made the most of it and then celebrated and loved herself.

Together . . . they made beautiful music.

 

I think that is the secret to true beauty . . . to love and accept oneself. To make peace with all the lumps and bumps . . . the freckles and the wrinkles . . . the parts that sag in the middle and the parts that stick out where they shouldn’t stick out . . . hair that is either too curly or too straight . . . boobs that are always either too big or too small . . .

The list goes on and on. How can we expect others to love us and accept us when we cannot love and accept ourselves?

A great poet and teacher has said , “Here in this body are the sacred rivers: here are the sun and moon as well as all the pilgrimage places. I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body.” ~Saraha 

Sometimes it’s really hard to love yourself. We know things about ourselves that nobody else does. We know all our secret thoughts, our secret wishes . . . we are privy to things we’d never ever want anyone else to know . . . 

We need to accept though, that we are not perfect, nor can we ever be perfect. But . . . we are who we are . . . each one of us being unique and special in our own right. It’s our uniqueness that sets us apart and makes us beautiful. We can and should love ourselves . . . not tomorrow, or the day after that . . . or when we lose 10 pounds, or have enough money to have our hair done, wear the right makeup or buy the right clothes . . . but . . . today. 

We, each of us, have a spirit that is unique only to us . . . a part of us that is divine . . . created by a Heavenly Father who loves us individually . . . a beautiful creation . . . the part of us that can shine regardless of those big hips or skinny legs. This is the part of us that glows, that shows and evokes our genuine beauty . . . the beauty that truly matters . . . the beauty from within. 

 

I have never been a real beauty in the sense of the physical word, but I have felt beautiful, and I feel beautiful and I know that I am beautiful . . . My beauty comes from within. My Todd would probably never win a Mr. Universe contest, and I can’t remember the last time I saw women lining up just to catch a glimpse of him . . . but when I look into his beautiful blue eyes I melt. The eyes are the windows to the soul and this man has a beautiful soul. I think we make each other melt, which is a good thing. 

I really hope that you will, each one of you, today . . . take a few minutes to celebrate and love yourself. Find that little bit of heaven that is within. Be gentle and kind and remember who you really are . . . the daughter or son of a Heavenly Father who created your spirit . . . a divine presence that exists within. How could that ever be bad . . .

It’s not . . . it’s beautiful . . . and it’s real . . . and it’s you. 

 

 We just did stuff around the house yesterday, organizing for Christmas. I got all my decorations out and up now. I will take some photos when and if I can get a camera that works.  I did take some with my phone yesterday, but they aren't great.   Last night we sat down and watched "Christmas In Connecticut".  These old films, traditional Christmas films never get old to me.  I fall in love with them every time I watch them, no matter how many times I have seen them in the past.  Todd was sitting here watching it without his glasses on.  Its like a Christmas miracle.   He could even read the writing on the bottom of the television screen yesterday when he was watching the news.  His left eye is rubbish, but the one they operated on is making up for it!  Thanks for all of your prayers!

 

This is not a great photograph but I just had to show you this.  I got this sweet postcard and mitten garland from Monique a few days ago and I am so in love with it!  She always makes the prettiest things . . . and I am so grateful that she thinks enough of me to want to send me something like this.  It is a precious, precious gift.  Thank YOU Monique! You are very dear to me!

Precious gifts are ones that come tied up in heart strings!!

They are the best kind of gift! 

♥♥♥

A thought to carry with you . . .   

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *As you take the normal opportunities of your life

and create something of beauty and helpfulness,

you improve not only the world around you

but also the world within you.

~Dieter F Uchtdorf  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Honey Dill Glazed Turnips & Carrots!  Scrummy yummy, and such an easy make! 

Have a wonderful Wednesday.  I hope the sun shines and you get all the things done that you want to get done. May your day be filled with all the people and things that you love and may you never forget  . . . 

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And I do too!