Musings

“Over the years, I have come to realize that the greatest trap in our life is not success, popularity, or power, but self-rejection. Success, popularity, and power can indeed present a great temptation, but their seductive quality often comes from the way they are part of the much larger temptation to self-rejection. When we have come to believe in the voices that call us worthless and unlovable, then success, popularity, and power are easily perceived as attractive solutions. The real trap, however, is self-rejection. As soon as someone accuses me or criticizes me, as soon as I am rejected, left alone, or abandoned, I find myself thinking, "Well, that proves once again that I am a nobody." ... [My dark side says,] I am no good... I deserve to be pushed aside, forgotten, rejected, and abandoned. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the "Beloved." Being the Beloved constitutes the core truth of our existence.”

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

I try and write a blog/letter entry to Noah on his birthday every year and one day I'll show him the address (It's separate to this one which I have neglected as Rach recovered) I wrote the following underneath the quote at the top, but I think I was maybe writing it for my own benefit too!

"I don't mind what you do, but be confident that you have a secure identity not always known and recognised by others, and importantly not defined by them. You have an identity in God and you can have a freedom in knowing that. Don't feel you have to be like others or tear yourself apart to be acceptable. You are perfect. When you have a child you will realise that they are perfect and they do nothing to earn it. That's how I think about you and how you should learn to think about yourself. Not arrogant but accepting that you are who you are and that is always enough."

Anyhow having just done his I thought I'd go crazy and double up and blog to the max. Will have another intelligent thought sometime next year. Till then

adieu