Our "Self"

Each of us has a Self. You know, the one we talk to all the time. "Why did you do that?" and "Smile, don't go there," or "If I want that brownie, by G-d, I'll have that brownie, shut up!"

It is not the "busy mind" of our ego that interferes with our praying, contemplating, or meditation. It is the part of our psyche that takes care of us, challenges us to grow emotionally and spiritually, and tries to lead us to maturity.

Carl Jung says some of us get there and some of us don't, and then, there's us in-betweeners who try and try and try, and sometimes we are and sometimes we aren't! I always relate to the pregnant-woman tee-shirt that has an arrow pointing down to her growing tummy and the words say something like "... work in progress."

Our Self is what calls us to our better selves. We have to listen though. We have to be quiet and listen!

Sunshine

Have you noticed how many commercials have references to ... or ... talk about the sun?

There is sunny lipstick, and sunshine sausage, and a bright sunny day to driver your "new car," etc.

We cannot live without the sun, yet it shines on us only half the time. The other half of our time is darkness with the moon illuminating us.

I can't help but surmise that we need the dark equally as much as we need the light.

I used to want to "cut out," or throw away the "dark of me." A wise therapist told me that dark is the fertilizer in our lives. "We all need fertilizer to grow--plants and us," she said.

Well, I've got plenty, does anyone need some? Just kidding! We all have the amount we need to become the person Life needs us to be.

Celebrate the sun and the moon of our being, share our whole selves, oh, not by telling others about the fertilizer, but by being authentic and loving in relationships. By showing our sun-side and growing from our moon-side.