“Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.”
– Peter Ustinov
I think language was invented for words like this. Simple, but they tell the story of an unseen truth. Good words are vehicles for our heartbeats. And, the best ones remind us that we have one when we forget.
Much of my study these days is mindset focused. Not a small piece of this is being quiet – slowing down the mind to simply be still. A common theme in these exercises is self-compassion. This may also be the hardest lesson to learn.
It is much easier to be self-critical and drag our mistakes as a heavy weight chained to our ankles, than it is to forgive ourselves. We can pull these weights a long time and even into our graves. This is a terrific waste of energy and life.
Loving anything well begins with loving ourselves. Here, we can share, unburdened, all we have. And, we have plenty. Loving ourselves is an act of generosity. It is not selfish. A “tender look” towards ourselves allows us to love others with every good bit we have, this is why we are here.
Nothing else matters very much, if at all.
Photo credit: Robin Malmanger
Dave Markwell is a life-long Des Moines liver and lover. Former owner of Waterland CrossFit and the Waterland Arcade, Dave uses his unique story-telling voice to help small businesses tell a better story, and his love for people to help folks live bigger and better lives. For more info, check out his website: wordsbydave.net
