Reflections: You Matter…
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
Reflections: You Matter…
If – a poem by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise; Contd below
Do you have the Monday blues? Have you had a hard year to date? Do you sometimes feel as if no one is listening or that no one cares? Is life bright and perfect with nary a care in the world? Even if others say, “Do not disturb me with pitiful stories,” don’t linger and hold on to what they say. You matter to someone today… No matter what your state or standing is on any given day, know that someone out there and in here cares… You Matter. This post is for you, and you, and you.
“The one thing everybody’s looking for is unconditional love. We all need somebody to love us just the way we are.” Joyce Meyer
Reflections: You Matter…
If you can dream and not make dreams your master;
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:
The last few years have been particularly challenging for many of us. Some put smiles on their faces and press on, others wear faith on their sleeves and hope for the best; we all march on trusting that conditions will improve… and they will. No matter where we fit in this conversation, the message remains the same: don’t despair, You Matter.
“How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.” George Washington Carver
Reflections: You Matter…
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;
There are days when we get up and our steps are shaky. We have another trial before us, we wonder if the struggles would ever shift. When will Lady Fortune shine the sun my way? If you believe today, tomorrow, and every day that the gift of life is the first step to victory, then you are on the way to meet the shining sun of good fortune. You matter.
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.” Mahatma Gandhi
Reflections: You Matter…
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
What have you lost? A home? Job? Loved one? Valuables? Memories? friendships? Don’t give up. Know that the hurt and stress, the pain and tears, all serve a greater purpose… to help us heal. Then remember the good things, the joy filled days, the kind words from others, and hold on tight. You matter. More Below.
“The deepest wounds aren’t the ones we get from other people hurting us. They are the wounds we give ourselves when we hurt other people.” Isobelle Carmody
Reflections: You Matter…
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
When our will fails, and our hearts sink, and we feel we can no longer carry on the task at hand, that is the time to take another deep breath, to say another prayer of thanks, to hold on and put more effort towards our goals. The light around the corner would soon be clear, reminding us that a new day is near; for what we lost would no longer hold us hostage. We matter.
““Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Reflections: You Matter…
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
Some nights I sit and contemplate the events around me; struggling families, families with financial and health disruptions, individuals living with pain and suffering, and all the tragic stories we read, hear and see; all in the midst of plenty. How could we possibly believe that denying opportunities and basic amenities to our fellow brothers and sisters don’t matter because they don’t affect us directly? When we deny the basics to others, something in us dies and is also denied… To make a difference in the lives of others, we can learn to repeat the affirmation: “I Matter, You Matter, and therefore, We all Matter…”
“Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Reflections: You Matter…
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
Regardless of our circumstances, to truly grasp that we matter, we must do the inner work. WE must affirm, unequivocally, that all we do to uplift others and ourselves matter. Every gesture we make to empower another, to help the downtrodden, to make a difference in someone’s life, add something deep and profound to our life story, enriching and emboldening us… and in the end, we’ll come to understand …. I Matter, We Matter, and above all, You Matter.
What are your thoughts? Have you had a hard day or year? How have you handled your struggles? Do you remember to tell yourself that you do matter? What affirmations do you use? Do share! Thank you. 😉
*Please bear with me as I continue to catch up on your blogs and commenting… Thank you all for your patience! 🙂
Positive Motivation Tip: You Matter – No matter what others say, we know in our hearts that there will come a day when all of us realize that — we matter!
More Wellness Boosters/Affirmations & Resources
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All photos Do not disturb, Ragwort, Cyclamen, Lemon tree flower, Flower1, Flower 3 and Apricot Flowers, via Wikipedia and/or via Flickr
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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i love this poem its something i turn to often ..thanks
and the quotes are awesome i super liked the first quote by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross..copying it 🙂
Thank you for this…. very timely reminder for me.
I have always loved Rudyard Kipling’s poem If written to his son. Some how it encompasses life as a whole. In answer to your question I have not had a brilliant year but there’s always someone else who is worse off! I sometimes don’t find that easy to believe all the time because I human. But ‘If ‘has always been a brilliant mantra. I wonder if when Kipling wrote If to his baby son, he realised how all incompassing it was and how it’s truth would shine through in the future. Thanks for sharing
🙂 🙂 xxx
Reblogged this on newfoundlandtraveller and commented:
Since I have no time to write this week I will be reblogging from my favorite blogs. Follow them for they always speak to that deeper part of us. Have a great week!
Every day you write beautiful thoughts and, share poignant poems, quotes and images. There is always something here that speaks to me. Thank you!
This year is a year of hope. We recently came off of a very bad time and are finally finding our footing once more. For those going through bad times, remember, “This too, shall pass.”
Awesome as usual…what a joy your writings are to us that read…I have found a truly useful…beautiful sight…Thank you…mkg
A beautiful post Elizabeth and quite moving.
Lorraine
Elizabeth, your post today has lifetd me up in more ways than one. I had a very trying weekend where I felt so down and and so unloved. I had wished to just go away leaving my children behind. Somehow, I managed to pull through, after I had searched my soul and had communion with God. The Bible was a true source of comfort to me, and after I had rpayed I was able to let go and felt better.
I agree wiht Joyce Meyer, that “the one thing everybody’s looking for is unconditional love. We all need somebody to love us just the way we are.” I think Jesus has offered us the way out. Thank you so much for this post.
My thoughts Elizabeth is this is simply lovely. Thank you!
I have learned the hard way that it is through our struggles and hardships we are growing to our fullest potential.
~Have a beautiful week! 🙂
Loving that first shot of the moth on the bloom Elizabeth. Lovely post! Margie
My favorite affirmation when things are not to my liking . . . This Too Shall Pass.
This has been a hard couple of years for a lot of people in my life. It seems like the troubles are easing a little, but not by much…I hope this year brings better things for all. I hope it brings better things for you too Elizabeth!
May the cobwebs lift and the hardships fade away. As we bless others even during our own struggles, the universe blesses us in ways we might not even be aware. You are a blessing, your struggles will pass and in my book, You Matter.
I’m deeply touched by this and thank you.
B
I am so frequently burdened by the things that many people I love are experiencing. We all have “things” that try us, but in some cases the dear ones are struggling under tremendous pressures. As a friend, sometimes all I can do is promise a prayer and offer my ear! It isn’t always easy to hear the fears and not be able to offer any solutions. And the ones who are doing the best are the ones who aren’t struggling…they have let go as much as is possible, creating new visions for the future. The Gandhi quote somewhat fits that. Have a good week, Elizabeth. You really encourage with each post. Debra
I really appreciate the effort you put into these posts. Nice integration of imagery, quotes, your thoughts.
I rarely stay blue for long because although I will always struggle financially in the big scheme I am wildly rich!
“Remember, no one
can make you feel inferior
without your consent.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
lovely! Just what I needed today. Thanks.
Reblogged this on onbeingmindful and commented:
Such beauty…in words and pictures.
You wrote exactly what I needed to read. Thanks Miriam
We’ve had our ups and downs for sure. I have been trying very hard to surrender and believe things will happen as they are intended. So far it appears to be true.
Thanks Elizabeth!
b
You matter, too, Elizabeth! You always seem to know exactly what to say at exactly the right time. I’ve always loved that poem. Great post!
Eliz, you are going at it strong! I love your layout, the poems the flowers and all of the inspirational words. It’s so nice to see you after the 2011 challenge and how strong you are with all that you do. I am working 14 hours a day doing Security and miserable. Say a prayer for me as a promotion and raise might be coming.
I like the quote from Helen Carmody the best. Whatever we do, it leaves a print in our soul.
The Carmody quote is so true!!
Great post! I love the poem, the quotes, the flowers and everything. Yes, we all matter! Thank you Elizabeth for sharing such inspiring post.
Such an incredibly uplifting post. Thank you Elizabeth for the reminder. You keep my perspective on a healthy place. xo
Great uplifting post and reminder.
Wonderful doses of inspiration here…not only for Mondays … but for any time of the year one can feel as if the world is against their favor.
Thank you for taking the time to write this encouraging post and to remind us that “We All Matter”. Be blessed!
I love the effort you put into this post. Wonderful quotes, and yes, we all matter…stay blessed 🙂
TY so much for your feedback! I write one post a day and try to make it meaningful.
I’m not always 100% with each post, but I do the best I can… I appreciate your feedback! 🙂
My favourites are the apricot flowers, plus the one with the butterfly.
TY and I love them too… especially that butterfly shot. The original owner captioned it, “Don’t disturb me…” 😆 loved it!
I just got this today from a HARO email – Kipling’s “If” set to music –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNaNKwGVkh0
Hope you get a chance to listen.
Thanks for the uplifting words today.
Thanks for the inspiring post.
All these magical photos and the entire Rudyard Kipling poem and the Goethe quote just wrap up for me a brandnew package of self-respect! Bless you!
Absolutely lovely article Elizabeth. Resonated very strongly with me. Given what all members of my family have been through in our lives, this was just beautiful!
I feel like a butterfly now! Thank you!