113 About dealing with oneself Dear reader, I believe that we have dealt with the essential spiritual themes now and thereby answered the Why question. I can however not imagine that you could understand all of it on your first attempt, not to mention accept it and see it as the truth. I certainly don’t expect this from you, particularly if you have never dealt with these questions before. As I said before: Understanding and recognition take time. It only goes step by step. Therefore, take from my thoughts the things that are good for you at this time. But there is something else on my mind, something that has always moved me and something that I would like to get off my chest. It isn’t directly connected to the Why question, but it is incredibly important. How do we deal with ourself? I know of people that do not actually like themselves, that find it difficult to respect and to love themselves. This is not good! This hinders us on the path that we should and want to go. And there is something else I would like to say. Within our Christian occident, we have been taught for centuries above everything else: Do not take yourself too seriously! Give and serve those around you. Even: Give everything that you have, disown yourself and your needs, like Mother Theresa. You own welfare is not that important - those around you have priority. And if you cannot be like Mother Theresa, then at least have a guilty conscience! Do you find this okay? I do not! I find that it is completely over the top. We should naturally develop ourself to become emphatic and helpful, really loving and compassionate and above all, also tolerant. These are our most important learning tasks and we deal with them all our life. This is part of being a human being. But the overemphasis of the demand that “only the others are important - serve them” had the result that some people appreciate and respect themselves all too little. Are you familiar with sayings like these? − “Aren’t I stupid! I completely forgot about this!” − “This silly knee is bothering me again. I can’t come with you today.” − “You go ahead. I will never learn this! I am too stupid.”
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