I know we are not really supposed to cross-post, but I am repeating what I posted in the Tag Thread because I wonder if some of us could encourage each other to do more things we want to do but feel we shouldn't spend the time, money, energy on "just us".

Pride-A Necessary Attribute

Ironically, held high by Aristotle
And praised as a virtue
But demonized by the Canon
As one of the seven deadly sins

possible to have without hubris or narcissism
can bring hope in things yet unrealized
gives us the courage to build and endure
can bring comfort when reviewing endeavors
enables us to feel entitled to all good things

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self-pride~~~I am 59 years old and still struggling to find it. Like a 3 year old child who knocks down his 2 year old brothers blocks, disease and unrelenting pain can do a thorough job of busting up the fragile threads of self-worth.
But we have to fight and fight and not quit-because if we do not fight for our rightful place, we will cheat ourselves out of many good things and pleasures, feeling they are unearned by us. We have earned pleasure by being alive and by not intentionally harming others. We do not need to be healthy and be accomplishing "work" to earn the right to be happy. I give this little speech or similar ones to myself everyday. Why is it so hard to believe it, feel it? I want to paint. I have brushes, canvases, palettes and paints-but cannot paint anymore. I don't think I deserve to use the time and energy for something that will only bring joy. But I am going to try to take baby steps to start painting again. Does anyone else share this struggle?

(((Sue))) I'm struggling to pick up my paint brushes again and I'm struggling tp pick up self-worth.
And I'm not getting encouragement, I hear more and more about how mean and selfish I am and how I hurt other people.
It's a painful struggle and I'm tired but for the first time in 64 years .... I feel like I deserve to win.
Sue- I think you deserve to win this struggle too. Keep going - keep going.

I had trouble pushing the thanks button my little wren because you are none of those things (mean, selfish, hurtful)

You both deserve to win...you both are survivors of what life has handed to you and "just us" is huge...two shinning stars that need to redefine yourselves.

Wren-you want to share progress? Maybe we can share our progress.


Here's a good site to get your painting motor reved up!

http://www.dailypainters.com/

If you subscribe, they send you updates and it at least keeps you in the mental game of painting et al.

THANKS a BIG thanks hun for reminder, I do this at times, I seem to put all my energy into work place, I take pride in it, but I need to take the time to take care of ME, do things I would like too. More time with the kiddos, a massage more often than once every 3 or 4 months, when it helps my body!! take the time and money and just do it...

hugss Gma, you are totally doing well with self worth though, hugss,sarah

get that painting started today hehe

GmaSue...that website is incredible...such talent! I could spend the morning just looking and if I were younger, I'd buy! Trying to get rid of stuff, not add to it but wow...I surely enjoyed looking. Thank you!

I believe that as women we are nurturers by nature. We nurture everybody else and forget that we need to nurture ourselves as well. Why do we feel guilty? I don't know. But I do know that it is absolutely necessary for joy, peace, and that zest for life. We deplete ourselves until there is nothing left and then we can't help anyone anymore. This is so absolutely necessary. Pride has two meanings. One is destructive and one is nourishing to the spirit and the mind. I think we can encourage each other to do that in whatever way works for us. I went snowboarding Saturday, that is nourishing to me. It was hard to do but it made such a difference. I love to scrapbook, but don't take the time for it anymore. I love to write. That is the way that I paint. I do it with words. LETS DO IT!

Sue,

NOT Canon in D....Pachebel was very proud of his materpiece and he took great pride in it...

your post really hits the cord with me as I am sure with many others...

there is such a fine line between pride and narcissism. How much is too much and how little is too little?

I see that a lot of people that are narcissitic actually have very low self-esteems on the inside...I feel that they feel a certain emptiness so they overdwell on the positives that they have but to such a point that they only throw their positives at you and never share the negative and their vulnerabilities...

I see pride as more of a balance between the positive and the negatives and not dwelling on neither...that we all should be proud of our innate talents but with humility...

but it is a delicate one and one that can be thrown off easily and tipped...and of course, easier said than done..*sigh..

I struggle with pride...

I feel like I need more of it...

but everytime my past plays with my head or people pick and tease me...my arduously amassed pride would quickly go down the drain...

however, in the past few years, I've learnt to keep a reserve of it...it is not much, but it is somewhere in a tank that I have refused to let go....it is not only self-preservation but also surviving the beast...

the beast can knock us down to the point that we'll NOT believe ANYONE in this world that we need to take pride in ourselves....

when we get to that point, our bestest of friends or relatives can say the kindest and truest things and we will still CHOOSE not to believe it...because we'll feel like we're being patronized rather than believing in what they're encouraging us with...

having that reserve to truly believe IN something is what I've learnt to savor and put a big cork on...

don't get me wrong, it is still very hard, but I feel like I have grown to the point that with each time that I get knocked down, I have enough reserve to pick me up again....

Aristotle was a smart man...he praised pride but he spoke against hubris...

narcissism when knocked down, is nothing but a beautiful flower standing alone by the water...

pride will make us run alone side other lions...caring for one another, just like a PRIDE would...

pride is NEVER lonely...

hubris and narcississm always are....

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and to our dear brave wren, the brave lion....your talent is something that awes me as well as many others....don't you let anyone tell you no..and I hope someday you'll show us more of your artwork, past, present, or future...

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Sarah, you should take pride in the person that you are and how special you are...especially with all you've been through....

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mist and Alpho, you both have beautiful paint brushes with your words....music to moi's ears....

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sue, I hope those small steps will reveal to us one day, of the rich colors that you already painted with your words...