The Color of Being True to Yourself

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

(W. Shakespeare, "Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3)

I will risk a certain vulnerability with you in the following story: From my father I was mentored in relating to creatures with gentleness and patience. Form frogs to cattle, dogs to birds, my dad had a gift for honoring the life of animals. He taught me that our animal companions, domestic or wild, are to be loved deeply, respected for their unique place in our lives, and on this earth. 

It is with sorrow then that I recount a scene that unfolded many years ago, at a more emotionally impoverished time of my life. Anna and I were the fortunate recipients of a canine companion whom we named "Duchess." She was the epitome of gentleness, with a large dose of puppy curiosity. 

One evening when Anna was out, Duchess and I had an altercation. I had left some plates with chicken bones on the kitchen counter. From another room I heard the cutlery rattle in the kitchen. Duchess was standing with her paws on the counter pre-cleaning the plates. I verbally reprimanded her and returned to the living room. Moments later I heard the rattle again. 

I stormed into the kitchen seeing red, and in a moment of anger I drew my foot back to kick Duchess. Had I connected it would have broken her ribs. She, however, read my body language, and in a universe-laughing-at-me moment timed her crouch perfectly. My kick passed harmlessly (for her) over her back and connected firmly with the underside of the counter, shattering my second toe. Karma I suppose.

My actions went against everything I had been taught, and indeed held to be desirable, regarding the treatment of animals. In short, I violated a core value, and in so doing caused injury in countless ways. 

“The moon does not fight. It attacks no one.

It does not worry. It does not try to crush others.

It keeps to its course,

but by its very nature, it gently influences.

What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore?

The moon is faithful to its nature

and its power is never diminished.” 

(Ming-Dao Deng, Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony)

I look back on that scene with compassion and understanding, for both Duchess and myself. It was not my best moment, however, it does serve to remind me that there is a great cost to be paid in not being true to myself. At the core, at the quintessential and elemental levels, I am an expression of Love. So are you! It is to this axiom that human growth beacons our adherence - be true to yourself, for you are Love.

“A lot of the conflict you have in your life

exists simply because you're not living in alignment;

you're not be being true to yourself.” 

(Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You)

There are a number of decisions that will face you in the coming week - at work, in your relationships, in charting the course of your life. This may guide you: know your core values, build those values on the Love that you are, and act in concordance with those values. Then, and only then, will you experience the freedom of integrity and calm with your inner being.

 As you be true to yourself you are empowered to change our world, to be a miracle-worker, sowing seeds of laughter, healing, joy, and wonder. The cost for such change is never too high, for it is paid for in the simple act of being what you have always and truly been - you!

Be true to yourself, today and all days. I leave the last word to author, Jennifer DeLucy:

“If nothing else in this long and short life,

let me be true to my conscience,

to the dignity of my own heart.

Let me act in a way that says,

I have honored my spirit

as truly as I have honored others'.

Let me stand tall and rooted as a mountain

in the face of a quaking world.” 

(Jennifer DeLucy)

The color of being true to yourself...

integrity in motion.

The sun shines

not for plants

or

sun tans

or

sparkling waves

but because

it is

its

nature

Be true

Shine

Breathe

Pray

To Ponder Further:

- From the Bible: "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways." (Proverbs 28.6)

- From Sikhism: "Falsehood shall be destroyed; truth in the end shall prevail." (Adi Granth, Ramkali Ki Var, M.1, p. 953)

- From Buddhism: "Every being has the Buddha Nature. This is the self." (Mahaparinirvana Sutra 214)