If you’ve viewed my blog before, you might know that I often find my title and my theme from something I’ve viewed the day before.
“A Child’s View” reminds me of the concept of Beginner’s Mind, which I wrote about here, five and a half years ago.
I like using a child’s view and beginner’s mind, which help me get in touch with wonder, openness, optimism, eagerness, and non-judgment. Do you see any of those in my views from yesterday? (If you need a better view of anything, just click on it.)
As I view the week and the new month ahead, I try to keep a child’s view and beginner’s mind. I shall also remind the inner child in myself and in others to let go of fear and to be open to whatever happens.
Yesterday, when I was driving my self into work, this was the first photo I self-ishly took:
I said to my self, “I can see myself driving that very car. AND I can imagine myself using that ‘shady’ license plate to inspire myself in creating tomorrow’s blog post.”
From then on, my observing self looked for things that were “shady.” As a result, I took these photos, by my self, for my self:
Do you see anything shady there, for yourself?
I, myself, would like to share this with your self: moments after I snapped that last image by myself, a police-escorted Mercedes drove by, and Fanon, at my work parking garage, self-lessly told me, “Look! It’s Billy Joel! He’s about to go on and rock it!”
And I heard myself reply, “You are rocking it, too.”
Then, after I drove myself home after a very long workday, I was pumping gas by myself and I saw this for my self:
And I thought to my self, “I might like that — even better — for a post title.”
I then allowed myself to think back on my day at work, where I, my self, had witnessed all of this:
Somebody declaring himself cured because he felt cared for.
Another self worrying about being too selfish.
Somebody selflessly welcoming another self into a therapy group for the first time.
Two adult selves — who had just met — selflessly and selfishly sharing that they both felt like small, vulnerable and childlike versions of themselves, and that it helped to ground themselves by looking at themselves in the mirror — thus reassuring themselves they were grown and safe, in the moment.
Many selves focusing on self-worth, self-esteem, and self-awareness.
And I said to myself (still standing at the self-serve island of the gas station):
“Self” is the title for my 928th consecutive, daily post!
Later, I took one more photo for my self.
There’s Harley, all by him self.
What music would you choose now, by and for your self?
Selfish AND shady thanks to Eric Carmen, Billy Joel, Harley, Fanon, and all those I witnessed working on themselves yesterday. Also, special thanks to you — of course! — for bringing yourself here, today.