vastad

Inspired by Token's story about Rebecca and his advice for him, I want to share a specific section from a deep conversation / therapy I'm having with my good friend Russell.

*********************************************

NOW I feel like beating you over the head.
Self-acceptance does not mean closing the door on your
development as a person.
Let me illustrate by giving you a clip of a mail
I sent to some of my other friends:
" This reminds me of a Zen koan I read in (of all
things) a role-playing game book:

"Before enlightenment; chopping wood and carrying
water. After enlightenment; chopping wood and carrying
water."

I was thinking about that today and I realised
(now that I am somewhat enlightened, which has nothing to do with my age) that being enlightened does not
change your life in any way you can measure. It hasn't
really changed my life, except that I've become more
accepting of myself, flaws and all, and also of
others, flaws and all. Not expecting everything to be
perfect really takes the stress away from everything.
Even though I'm still chopping wood and carrying
water."
I haven't given up on myself, Munir. I'm not a
loser. You aren't either. You're a beautiful person
who needs to come to love himself before he can cause
others to love him. If you hate yourself, how can you
expect others to love you?