Ripples #987: Loving All The Parts!
April 23, 2018
PEBBLE
Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening.
-Lisa M. Hayes, shared by Diane in Tuscaloosa, AL
BOULDER
Can you love your crazy?
Can you love your sane?
Can you trust your foolish heart?
Embrace your scattered brain?
Can you love your tears?
Can you love your worry?
Can you hear your darkest fears?
And listen to your fury?
Can you love your inner child?
Your body as you age?
Can you love your wild side
Release it from its cage?
If you’re thinking “NO!”
To some of the above,
Then can you love the part of you
That’s learning how to love?
-Leah Pearlman, shared by Pidge in Pacifica, CA
PONDER
My dear pal Pidge recently sent me a lovely book by Leah Pearlman: Drawn Together: Uplifting Comics on the Curious Journey Through Life and Love.
The book begins with the poem above and then lightly winds its way through a series of simple-yet-whimsical drawings to illustrate the power of loving yourself, loving the people around you and loving everything about your crazy, tumultuous life.
The whole book is a delightful read, but this particular poem really struck me at potent, and I’ve been coming back to it repeatedly over the past few weeks. The last stanza grabs me every time, gently reminding me how important it is to love even the less polished parts of who I am.
I’m grateful to Pidge for gifting me with the book, to Leah Pearlman for quickly and eagerly granting permission to include the poem here, and to YOU as you hopefully continue pondering the idea of learning how to love all the parts of you.
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
P.S. You can see more of Leah’s work at DharmaComics.com or by ordering her book.
