As I Began to Love Myself: Charlie Chaplin on his 70th birthday
"As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.
"As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.
Today,
I know, this is AUTHENTICITY.
As I began to love myself I understood how much it can
offend somebody as I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew
the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though
this person was me.
Today I call it RESPECT.
As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different
life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to
grow.
Today I call it MATURITY.
As I began to love myself I understood that at any
circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens
at the exactly right moment, so I could be calm.
Today I call it
SELF-CONFIDENCE.
As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time, and I
stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me
joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do
them in my own way and in my own rhythm.
Today I call it SIMPLICITY.
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is
no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that
drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy
egoism.
Today I know it is LOVE OF ONESELF.
As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right,
and ever since, I was wrong less of the time.
Today I discovered that is
MODESTY.
As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the
past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where
EVERYTHING is happening.
Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it
FULFILLMENT.
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can
disturb me and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my mind
became a valuable ally.
Today I call this connection WISDOM OF THE HEART.
Today I know THAT IS LIFE!"