Inspiring Words

January 29, 2018 - 

I’ve always found that children have some of the most amazing things to say. Not yet swayed in any which way by society, their innocence is reflected in their honest and kindhearted views of the world, and although most of the times soft spoken, these tiny voices often times convey most powerful messages. The other day while visiting with my youngest sister, we had a discussion that I couldn’t help but share with you readers.

My little sister is filled with curiosity. Whenever I use a word that she doesn’t know, she is quick to stop me and ask for a definition. On this given occasion, we were discussing what it means to be humble. I told her that somebody who is humble is modest; in other words, they aren’t high headed or full of themselves. Unsure of whether I still even had her attention, what she said next completely caught me off guard. She said “I am not full of myself; I’m sure of myself. I know who I am and I don’t care what people think about me”. Completely stunned by what this seven year old had to say, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. This tiny human managed to sum up the very traits that I work hard to embody in myself; the ones that so many people struggle to maintain. In this day and age, it’s way too easy to get caught up with what other people think. We allow our own self value to be determined by others, and in the midst of this it’s easy to lose touch with who we are.

Like most people, I’ve struggled with confidence in the past, and have stopped myself from doing certain things simply because I feared what people would think. Even starting a blog took a lot for me because I was so worried that people might think that it’s stupid… and here’s the thing: some people probably do think that, but that doesn’t matter to me anymore because I’ve gained so much from it. In the year and a half that I’ve been writing for this blog, I’ve learned so much about myself, and have acquired new passions and skills. Writing has helped me sort through the obstacles that have come up in my own life, and I’ve loved having a space in which I can be a little bit more open and candid with you all.

Paige’s confidence, not to be mistaken for cockiness, is what in my mind has always set her apart from other children her age. The way in which my sister is unapologetically herself is honestly inspiring, and I hope that as she grows up, she doesn’t loose this sense of self.

-sb