As social animals, of course, we worry about what other people think of us. Being more liked by others means you have a higher chance of survival.
But while the opinions of others matter, only one person’s judgment of you will count in the end:
Your own
I was recently reminded of this truth by a great poem I across the other week by Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr. I believe we all have something to learn from his words:
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.
For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.
He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest
For he’s with you, clear to the end
And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.
– Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.
What does the man in the glass have to say to you about your life as it is right now?
Are the words he tells you the words you want to hear?
If not, where in your life does he tell you to make a change?
