Today, my Bestie posted a photo of herself from last summer and then posted a photo of herself from today for comparison. The longer the before image lingered there, the more she was bothered by it. She “loathes” that photo.
I encouraged her to leave it up as encouragement to others. I know she’s probably looked at it over and over a few dozen times, loathing that photo, but not the person in the photo. I know she’s grown beyond that. Still, she’s left that photo up and I am so proud of her. That willingness is a benchmark of courage in a long and painful journey.
How many of us have old photos, keepsakes, or reminders of ourselves from our past, reminders of what was so we can appreciate what is now? Most of us probably do. I think it’s important not to dwell on the past. That’s for certain. If we eliminate all reminders of what was, we have no comparison to see how far we’ve come. In some cases, that’s a merciful thing. In other circumstances, ridding ourselves of something to compare our progress by, we eliminate an important way to measure our progress.
I’m truly proud of my Bestie and her courage to share her progress with the world. That’s a vulnerability that’s a sign of strength. She inspires me, and I hope, by sharing her journey, she will inspire someone to start a journey of their own.
Sassy Dreams Awake 