I'm Proud of Me!

 I have nothing profound to talk about today.  Other than the fact that it is Monday, Valentine's Day, cold outdoors and I'm a bit under the weather; all is well.  I am proud of myself, though.  I really am.  "What did he do?", you ask.  I think that it is more about what I didn't do.  We all reflect on our past at times; either voluntarily or something or someone may trigger a certain thought.  At my age I have many memories to contend with; and they are not all good ones.  I have come to learn that holding onto bad, hurtful, unfruitful and non-productive memories can make it difficult to accurately measure yourself as the person that you are now.  We all have made bad decisions at one time or another.  And in addition to this we all have secrets that we dare share with anyone else; and rightfully so.  And herein  lies the lesson of repentance.  To repent merely means to be sorry for what you have done and do not visit that act again.  Once we do this we are free.  God has promised it to us.  The problem is that we, as people, find it difficult, (and sometimes impossible), to forgive ourselves.  Without sounding too preachy, I just want to say that we are new in whatever endeavor we have undertaken.  Whether it is a new relationship, a new job, or any other plan, you have a right to be proud of yourself.  
It's true; no one particularly becomes as excited as you do when you do a good thing.  You get so amped and you are beaming with pride and you can't wait to tell someone.  And when you do get the opportunity too tell them they are like; "Yeah, that's cool" or "Oh, that was nice".  
It's easy to be cruel, but it is difficult to be nice.  The world we live in compels us to be as disassociated from your fellow man as they are towards you.  It's sometimes hard to find pride in yourself for working overtime to help someone who has a need.  It's unheard of to compliment your enemy; even when he/she has done a good thing, but you must do it in order to remain at the top of dignity and morality.  And what about those you have wronged along this journey?  Are you still looking over your shoulder for divine retribution concerning that infraction you caused 10 years ago?  If God wanted your bad self taken out it would have occurred a long time ago.  But we are still here so what does that say to us?  That there is still much more we must do with our lives.  Forget those things behind us and look forward to the things that are ahead of us.  You will, undoubtedly, be better at whatever the task because in all of your learning you have learned what not to do. So be proud of yourself when your co-workers do not notice your good.  Be very proud of yourself when your supervisor has no idea as to what fires you have put out all by your lonesome yet continues to give credit to others that are always bragging about their accomplishments.  Be proud that now you are a good husband, a good wife, a good son or daughter, and a good friend.    
So, you are proud of you?  I'm not mad at you.  I'm proud of me too.
Happy Valentine's Day.
Dennis