Trust (reflection)
As I was feeding squirrels in the park,
I noticed a small one that didnt seem to
trust me. While the others came close
enough to eat out of my hand, he kept
his distance. I threw a peanut his way.
He edged up, grabbed it nervously,
and ran off.
Next time he must have felt less afraid,
because he came a little closer. The safer
he felt, the more he trusted me. Finally he
sat right at my feet, as bold as any squirrel
clamoring for the next peanut.
Trust is like that —
it always seems to come down to
trusting in yourself. Others cant overcome
fear for you; you have to do it on your own.
Its hard, because fear and doubt hold on tight.
We are afraid of being rejected, of being hurt
once more. So we keep a safe distance. We
think separating ourselves from others will
protect us, but that doesnt work, either. It
leaves us feeling alone and unloved.
Trusting yourself begins by recognizing that
its okay to be afraid. Having fear is not the
problem, because everyone feels anxious and
insecure sometimes. The problem is not being
honest enough to admit your fear.
Whenever I accept my own doubt and insecurity,
I'm more open to other people. The deeper I go
into myself, the stronger I become, because
I realize that my real self is much bigger
than any fear.
In accepting yourself completely, trust becomes
complete. There is no longer any separation
between people, because there is no longer
any separation inside. In the space where
fear used to live, love is allowed to grow.
