PEACE: What makes me see YOU

BY KIMBERLY BAILEY-TUREAUD

We all have a need to be seen and to connect. Too often, though, we meet a door slammed shut by judgment. Some people see only what they want to see, affirming a comfortable mindset rooted in their own insecurities. 

Our need for connection shouldn’t put us on the defensive, yet we try and try to win acceptance. It’s unfortunate that our successes aren’t embraced and don’t open the door to friendship. Strangely, most people want to hear the worst of what you’ve experienced before they will connect with you on any human level. 

It is true that trauma and strife are carried like a heavy weight on the chest. Smiles are released only on calculated timers, to prevent any signal of vulnerability. Our protective spirit is far too often on autopilot, and it is that spirit that keeps blocking blessings from the natural flow of the universe. 

Negativity is often the hand on the closed door, searching only for familiar struggles. If every ingredient in the gumbo is the same, you will never enjoy a new flavor. 

The challenge is to practice honest self-examination, which allows our internal love for SELF to ignite connections with others built on the good. All good things need fertilizer to grow, just as negativity does. This process, passed down through generations, can be a curse or a gift. 

Attitude is everything, and we will never see others until we see and accept ALL of ourselves. 

I SEE YOU.