Saturday, August 11, 2007

Ten things to remember....

Susanne, a wonderful blogger on whose blog I've been lurking (aka 'admiring from a distance') tagged me for the "ten things I like about me" meme.

There are times when something comes along, just as it should. Since I've spent the past few days in some fairly serious self-criticism, it's a good thing to remember the gifts we've been given, too.

So I've decided to do this.

I am also going to tag some people. While this is not typical for me, it's evidence perhaps that I am willing to have my ideas challenged and I am willing to change my mind when it's appropriate. In a discussion on this topic, someone mentioned that tagging can be used as a welcoming tool, too. That's a valid point and I have decided to tag some people whose blogs are new to me, new to my sidebar, and a few people who I haven't seen do it yet.

And that is number one... one of the things I am grateful to be. I am open-minded. I'm willing to change my mind when presented with new ideas.

Number two: I like the fact that I am fiercely loyal to the people or principles I care about. I will step up to the plate when necessary and defend someone, even if it costs me something.

Number three: I like that I am willing to dig beneath the surface of my own behavior and examine it for things that may be hurting others. And I'm willing to change.

Number four: I like that I apologize easily ~ and mean it when I do. I have no problem admitting when I've been wrong.

Number five: I like that when I love or like someone, I do it with a wide open heart that is just so willing to admire, to respect and even occasionally adore.

Number six: I like that I came out of the desert without so many broken and jagged pieces that I was unwilling to ever trust again.

Number seven: I like that I have a very accepting spirit, that I don't need to pigeonhole people. I accept you as you are ~ as you say you are. I am non-judgmental. Someone doesn't have to be like me, think like me or view the world the way I do and I can still admire and respect that person.

Number eight: I like the fact that I have been able to embrace my own eccentricity. I like the fact that I now see it as a positive thing instead of something to be hidden and denied.

Number nine: I like the fact that I don't hold grudges. It just doesn't seem to be a part of my being.. and I can't even quite grasp what it would feel like.

Number ten: I like that even at my age, I am willing to completely uproot my life and head off to my spirit's home, knowing that it is meant to be, that I can have that faith in my path.

~*

Now for the tagging:

Bohemian Girl: You are fairly new to me and I'm just getting to know you through your writing on your blog. I like your inherent peacefulness.. your caring.. and your gentleness. Thank you.

Mitzh: I love the little glimpses into your heart that you share with us. I love the fact that you are able to see the universality of our experiences.

Flutter: I love the openness with which you share your experiences. I love the fact that you are so willing to do this without fear ~ and it allows us to know you and our admiration to grow every single day. And trust me. I think it's a good time now for you to do this. Just as a reminder to yourself of how blessed and wonderful you truly are.

Anvil: Every time I come around your site, you give me a glimpse of what a good man is all about, what masculinity is supposed to be. For this sometimes rather cynical woman, you have no idea what a gift that is. Just because my comments are infrequent, don't think for a minute that I don't admire you. A lot. I'd like to hear what you like about yourself.

Jen: You are one of the most "together" people I've ever known. While I am not one to be effusive and obsequiously admiring (at least not openly), in your presence, I often find myself doing just that. You are such a gifted leader and an evolved human being. Since I am old enough to be your mother, I can say this: If I'd had a daughter, I'd want her to be you. I don't really care if you do the meme, although it would be nice. I love the way you present these facts about yourself.

Susan: You are such a clear-thinker and such a faithful friend. There is no way in the world I will ever be able to really thank you for that. With your quick wit and obvious intelligence, you are a teacher for me. All the time. I would also like to hear ten things you like about yourself. I want to know if they match the things I like about you. :)

I could go on tagging forever ~ but I am going to stop here so that I can save up some for the next time.

Thank you, Susanne, for thinking of me. And thank all of you for constantly keeping me on my toes.

~*

15 comments:

meno said...

I love reading your and other people's responses to this meme. It's so hard to admit good things about ourselves and this is a wonderful opportunity to face the light side of us.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

This will take some thought, but thank you for the lovely things you've said here about me.

I also love about you the mere ten things you like about yourself, and at least another ten come to mind as well.

You are a woman who knows who she is, and that gives you a large measure of serenity, which is something we all crave.

flutter said...

Chani, thank you and you have no idea how wonderful it was to see you say these things about yourself.

B.A., the originator of this meme tagged me for it already, but in the spirit of it, I'll link you so you can read what I said :)

I do adore you.

http://fluttercrafts.typepad.com/fluttercrafts_taking_the_/2007/07/if-i-were-looki.html

painted maypole said...

fabulous, fabulous list from a fabulous, fabulous gal!

S said...

And number eleven: You know yourself well and see yourself astonishingly clearly. These ten things are so accurate (IMHO) that they took my breath away.

Oh, and what you wrote about Jen? If you had had a daughter, you'd want her to be Jen? It made me cry.

Girlplustwo said...

Chani...that made me cry too. what a completely amazing thing to say to me that i will treasure for a long, long time to come. truly, thank you.

i JUST did this one last week (and it gave me a stomachache) so i don't know that i can muster it up again but know that if i hadn't just done it, i would, because you asked.

heartinsanfrancisco said...

Hi Chani,

I've done my ten, if you'd like to come by and check them out.

I included the lovely things you said about me because they helped to prime the pump. :)

Anvilcloud said...

I see the tag and will get to it at some point. Thanks for the kind comment which I find very surprising.

Open Grove Claudia said...

I love these lists - thanks for sharing! :)

ewe are here said...

I really, really love your list of 10.

Thank you for sharing it.

KC said...

I love reading people's answers to this meme too. All the honesty and self-affirmation is wonderful.

Anonymous said...

Chani,

Thank you for tagging me and giving me the opportunity to spend some time loving myself. I too have been in a state of self criticism as of late and it will do me some good to focus on the positive for a while. I'll get to that right away. Namaste.

mitzh said...

aww, you're so sweet and so kind. Thank you..

I will be doing this one, I promise and thanks for including me, am truly humbled...

Susanne said...

Thank you very much for doing this. I really love this meme and the things it brings out when people do it.

Your list of things you like about yourself is beautiful and I love even more that it is all about your personality and not about looks. (And I don't think this is because you don't like anything about your looks but because you deem personality trait to be more important.)

And you even tagged people!

Anvilcloud said...

Heads up: I finally posted something.