Ikigai Thought for Today: The Hardest Battle
To be nobody but yourself.
It is visibly obvious poet e e cummings liked to be different by how he preferred to type his name, all lowercase.
Much of cummings work deals with being the one-of-a-kind creation that each of us was meant to be. Here are three of his thoughts to ponder…
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”
“It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.”
Being who you are at your essence represents a daily act of courage. For that, it seems there is a prerequisite…
"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit."
🌀Reflection:
🌱Who revealed the innate value in you?
🍃Who are you helping by believing in them?
"We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit."
So true.
There are many in many in this world who work diligently to challenge our belief; to make us doubt our value with their vicious attempts to snuff out our lights; they prefer the security of their hearts’ familiar dank lairs. But darkness is weaker than light and evaporates when illuminated.
Focus on the Ikigai.
Two people have been incredibly influential in showing me who I am. First, as a musician, and now, as a writer. I am incredibly grateful to them.
As for whom I have helped find their innate value, hopefully, I'm helping my son do that. Time will tell.