Acceptance of Self

So lately I have been talking with a lot of people in my office about the concept of acceptance.  There are a lot of things that are black and white in this world, right and wrong, productive or unhealthy.  Acceptance, I also believe is black and white.  We can’t kind of accept something or someone; including yourself. 

I watched a movie a few years ago called Crazy/Beautiful with Kirsten Dunst.  In that movie is one of my favorite lines from the man who plays her father.  He is unhappy about her choices in her life and unhappy with who she is as a person.  He says to a friend of her character, “It’s taken me a long time to accept the kind of person she is and the kind of person she’ll never be.”  Some people might hear that and say, “that is so rude and cruel to say about someone you love” but the way I took it was that this father had worked on accepting who his daughter really is – the good and not so good in her.  He loved her so he accepts her; no matter what!

Do you do that for yourself? How about others?  Can you accept all things in you and in others around you?  One of the things I think we struggle with the most is accepting both our inside (and even harder) our outside appearance.  I have another quote that I found years ago.  It is by an unknown author: “Acceptance of others, their looks, their behaviors, their beliefs, bring you an inner peace and tranquility–instead of anger and resentment.” 

I love that quote!  To me, that is the way to avoid anger and resentment as well; but the acceptance isn’t just for others–it is primarily for ourselves.

*Summer