Word by Word

The last two posts to this blog have been about wrapping up one year and looking forward to the next. My last post, one word resolution, was really about setting goals. I’ve always preferred goals to resolutions. I’m not sure I could point out why. I tend to be a little anti-establishment, so I just assumed it was that facet of my personality.

I was reflecting on one of my favorite poems the other day though. It’s called “Love After Love” by Derek Walcott. Here, I’ll let you read it with me.

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other’s welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

There it is. Love yourself. Don’t forget to feast on your own life. I think what I’ve always disliked about resolutions is they are inherently about finding fault and trying improve oneself.

Don’t get me wrong, we all have faults. We all have aspects we need to improve. We all also have amazing traits, aspects and facets. How often do we take the time to explore them? Appreciate them? Why do we always leave it to someone else to point them out, love them?

In this time of resolutions and self-improvement, don’t forget to sit, feast on your own life and all the wonderful you are too.