"To Thine Own Self Be True"

In cleaning my Mother’s garage to prepare for a huge garage sale, I found several little treasures that have been hidden away in boxes for years! One of those was a book given me on my birthday of 1972 by my sweet Mom, entitled To Thine Own Self be True by cory r. flint. This little jewel, though published in 1968, is chocked full of wisdom! I’ve underlined nearly every line I’ve read so far ~ I do that with every book I read ~ underline the important points I want to remember! I’ve decided to start posting periodically from this book, to bullet point some of these gems, and to hear your feedback! Perhaps you will be blessed by something I share as much as I have been blessed by this book! So, without further adieu, let’s dive right it…

“Man is a mystery to himself. This deludes him into thinking he is a mystery to everybody else. Such a feeling is the basis for his greatest desire – that of being understood. Closely related to his desire to be understood is his wanting to be accepted…It starts by discovering the real person and by being true to that self…Basically you have only one right – the right to be yourself…First, there must be good treatment from your own hands – even being kind and gentle to yourself – being willing to forgive yourself, learning to love yourself, and then looking outward and finding how to have a right attitude toward others…Whatever you think about yourself that is negative, replace it by the belief that you were born to be a winner…Such an assignment is a never ending struggle…the task is difficult but not impossible…the effort is worthwhile…There is a tiny spark in everyone that can be fanned into the flame of achievement…Knowing God, self, and the purpose of life is the only fortune worth finding, and it is not to be found in faraway places – but in the heart itself. The most outstanding quality of any person is his attitude or spirit…he has toward God, people, self, and life…

Many people feel they have had bad breaks which they cannot overcome. But past happenings that have damaged man’s emotional life can be changed through the grace of God. Time must be taken, however, to understand the power of man’s strongest drive in life – self preservation – and the four basic patterns of human behavior – sex, fear, anger, and wonder…man is rarely acquainted with himself and his emotions. Emotions control nine-tenths of man’s actions. We must be aware of our emotions and why we act as we do if we are going to understand religion, fill our place in life, and have inner happiness and peace…The principle desire of man must be to know God, then to understand self, and to properly relate himself with people…If there is no God then it does not matter what one does with his life; but if there is a God nothing matters so much as knowing Him in personal relationship, knowing His will, doing his will, and being in His will…To be true to the self that you were meant to be always begins with willingness – the willingness to believe – the willingness to be. Since man can never supply his basic needs, he must be willing for God to do for him what he cannot do for himself…true in some respects: but…man can help everyone but himself. He must depend upon his fellow man and God for insight into himself. Only through the eyes of others is he able to see his blind spots and basic needs. Also, God is the only One who can bring the inner transformation that sets life in the right directions…Most of the worries, unhealthy emotions, and sin that you permit in your life, befogging the way…are caused by the unwillingness to let self be liberated through discipline and the power of God…You are not to live in conformity to someone else or some role. Be Yourself – Conformity is a crutch of mankind…Many men see things as they are and ask “why.” I challenge you to see things that never have been in your life and ask “why not.”…God has not repeated his specific formation for any two people. There is no competition with someone taking your place. You are the only person that can be what you are to be and do.” What is your response to this?

I'm blessed and grateful to have my senses that all work!