POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

It’s so easy
to look around
and envy people who appear to be
more “privileged” than we are.
We need not look far.
Seems, at any given moment,
just about anyone
will fill the bill.

But stop right there.

You are by far the most privileged person you know.

You are the only one who gets to determine
The who,
the what,
the when,
the where,
the why…
of you.

You get to determine
the direction of your life
in this—and for that matter—
every other moment.

Sure, there are outside influences,
external forces,
extenuating circumstances.
And some of them
come pretty close
to being “givens.”
Givens over which you seem to have little or no control,
givens that govern,
givens that will get to you...

if you let them.

But all,
and I mean all of them,
are external, right?
And, being external,
their sway and swagger are only
as great (or small)
as significant (or insignificant),
and influential (or inconsequential),
as expanding (or constricting),
as empowering (or disempowering)
as you choose
to let
or make
them be.

My point is simply this:
Internal is where it’s at.
“Internal” here defined as our inner state of well being
where the point of our personal privilege resides.

Oh,
some have more wealth,
some have more status,
more opportunity,
more beauty,
talent,
youth,
friends,
ad nauseam

—or so it may seem.

And yes,
some have fewer troubles,
some have fewer issues,
fewer problems,
fewer setbacks,
obstacles,
bumps,
bruises,
bills.

Ditto.

But, may I remind you
no one else…and I mean no one else,
enjoys the inexplicably deep personal privilege of being you.
No one else is the unique "one and only" individual you are.
No one else is the one-of-a-kind expression of life’s love you are.
No one else is the inimitable microcosm of the universe you are.

No one.

So stop stomping on everyone else’s personal privilege.
Instead, focus on living in—and out—
of your own.

And for that matter,
stop stomping on your own personal privilege.
You’ve sabotaged yourself long enough.

It stops here.

It stops now.

This is it.

From now on,
every time you feel the urge to sabotage
the incredible point of personal privilege with skin on it that
you and you alone are—

Stop!

Take a deep breath.
Maybe even sigh deeply once or twice.
Let go of it.
Regroup.
Reset.
Lovingly, forgivingly, compassionately
look yourself in the I

and admit it:

Life is hard
That’s just the way it is,
It's the way it usually comes
—even on a good day.

Then,
pick your point of personal privilege up off the floor.
Breath slowly…deeply….joyfully…into it

and go…

kiss the world.

“…and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)