The Importance of a Sense of Self

Our truth, to us, is true. It is an important part of us and helps to define who we are, to ourselves. It is part of our identity.

To confront and accept our truth can be challenging, and often it is easier not to do so. When we are able to look at past events, or our submerged memory of them (and these may be different from each other), there can be pain before the process of integration, understanding, reconciliation and healing can begin. It is all part of being who we are, in our truth.

Having got to this place of personal truth, to have it disputed or dismissed as not true by someone, particularly a person whom we respect or look up to, can be shattering, undermining or even destroying our sense of self. The process of coming to terms with who we are has to begin again, and what has already been a hard learning process is made even harder.

As I ponder these matters, I recognise more and more how important it is to honour those people who are endeavouring to find and hold onto their inner truth, even if it does not accord with our own perceptions and beliefs. There is a difference between giving acceptance, support and gentle guidance, and the imposition of a potentially destructive subjective reality based on limited knowledge and carelessness.

Thoughtless words which come from the heart will help. Thoughtless words which come from the head will hurt.