A Friend Discovers Her True Self
Read on to see a note I received from a friend. Rejoice with me at the changes in her life. Here’s what she wrote. I share it with her permisssion.
The Labels I Used To Have
Based on the title of the book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” I wrote out labels for myself. Each started with my name and carried the same message: “— is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad person.” I displayed those labels in about a dozen places around my house so that if I ever had a glimmer of hope that it wasn’t true, I’d be reminded before I got hit too hard with “reality.”
I lived alone, so no one else saw those labels. You’re the only one who knew. Towards the end of the time when you and I got together, I took my labels down from my house (though they still lingered in the back of my mind). I also kept their existence a secret that only you and I shared. They’ve been a secret for the last 35 years.
I do still have moments (even a day or so) when my thoughts go that way, although infrequently. But to my surprise, for some reason, I recently shared about my labels with my Bible study group. Soon after our meeting ended, a friend in the group slid a note onto my notebook. Her note also started with my name. She said: “— is a beautiful, fabulous, so good, very loved daughter of God.” At the bottom of her note, she added: “Please display.”
When I read her words, suddenly I realized that her labels describe my true self, and my old labels are all lies.
Lynne, Thanks for sticking with me all those years. Love, “—”
PostScript from “—”
As you and I talked through this account getting it ready to post on BibleGrapes, our going over it multiple times has helped to “cement” the idea that I am a fabulous, so good, very loved daughter of God. (And so are you!)
Love, “—”
A Friend Discovers Her True Self
Author anonymous
Format by Lynne Fox
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