Never forget where you came from. That's what I am telling myself today. Not that there is a danger of that. It’s what keeps me grounded. When you soar higher you could easily misremember what walking feels like. You could even forget you ever walked. You could look down on all those walking below you. But if you can see yourself among them, one of those walking, you won't. The walker will always be in you, no matter how high you soar. And I believe that is a good thing. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you rooted. It helps you keep sight of the real things. Your authenticity, your humanity, your values, etc.

The other thing, be grateful for those who are there for you even in an imperfect way. I have a tendency to critique people who do stuff for me because they are doing it wrong or wobbly or inaccurately or sloppily or whatever. I ask myself if they did not do what they did, what would I have? They are at least there in whatever way they can be. I have to learn to appreciate that. I have to learn to accept people in whatever ways they show up. Showing up is the thing and they are doing that for me. Not everyone does.

I feel I have grown as a person over the years...funnily, I have come closer to understanding people the more distance I have taken… the more solitude I have embraced…grown in my self-awareness... in the rope I am ready to extend to people... in the amount of appreciation I can have for why people will do what they do... or in trying to see things from many different perspectives... obviously I will not tolerate deception, manipulation, bullshitters, backstabbers, apple polishers, and the like... but where a basic integrity is a given, I think I am more human. Or maybe it's called growing older and wiser :)