I once learned that in heaven, we are all feeding each other. Like, our arms are intertwined and I have a spoon in my hand feeding someone next to me and someone on my other side is feeding me. It’s this image/lesson of the opposite of being self-serving. It’s this interdependence. This watching out for the other. It exudes love and peace.
I recently joined a Facebook group aimed to empower women to achieve personal as well as professional self-actualization. The leader of the group is a wonderful life transformation coach. While teaching us tools, she is so good at building each of us up and highlighting our strengths. And the members do the same for each other.
And it hit me. This is serving a spoonful of food to my neighbor and a neighbor of mine serving food to me.
This is us carrying each other.
Each of us has our own flaws and foibles, aka shadows, that can quite literally mask our own perception of our strengths. An outsider can see us as beautiful and brilliant, when on the inside we may be riddled with self-doubt and shame.
And so, to be in a community that sees our beauty shining out even when we feel the dark clouds hovering overhead, that reminds us who we truly are underneath all the noise, all the layers, all the chaos. Well, that is truly a gift.
And it strengthens us as we continue to take mindful steps toward integrating our shadow, working on self-improvement through the lens of self-compassion.
Mindful Nuggets 