Today's Thought - January

[bluidkiti]

January 18

All the fame I look for in life is to have lived it quietly.

~Michel de Montaigne

The desire for fame can often be distracting. We can be so busy striving to be recognized that we lose sight of ourselves. What comes to mind is what other people think of us; we defer to their opinion and neglect our own intimate view of ourselves.

Being well-thought-of is fine and good ... as long as we think well of ourselves. We need to tend our own garden and love what grows therein. Having it admired by the neighbors is nice but not always necessary.

A quiet life brings us into touch with ourselves. We come to realize how much we are worth in our own eyes. With this confidence in ourselves, we can reach out and love - not because we are empty and needy, but because we believe in our own uniqueness and value.

I resolve to seek quietness and the love that springs from self-knowledge.

Today's reading is from the book Answers in the Heart