The One and Only You

There is only one you for all time. Fearlessly be yourself.

--Anthony Rapp

This is it, my one chance. My one shot at fulfilling my purpose. This is a no deposit, no return vessel in which I'm spending my days on earth, and it's all mine; and it's the only one I'll ever get.
 
When I'm afraid that just being me is not enough, I think about that.
 
Being me means being shy, but then blurting out the completely wrong thing to say. Being me, means ordering a glass of wine, then talking too loudly in a restaurant. Being me means snapping at one of my kids who interrupts a stressful string of thoughts, then saying I'm sorry. Being me means piling on the workload so much that I feel like I'll crumple under my obligations, then putting it all down to take my children to their after-school activities; but not without some grumbling.
 
Being me means having a short temper and giving long hugs. It means looking forward to Fridays when everyone is home from work and school and looking forward to Mondays when everyone isn't. It means laughing about morbid pet stories, but giving my dog the best 14 years of life a pet could live. It means a quick temper but a rare grudge. It means having no clue what difference I'm making in the world, but trusting that I'm making one.
 
Being me means frizzy hair days and donating blouses to the thrift store because I'm too lazy to sew buttons back on. Being me means once-a-year pedicures and layers upon layers of toenail polish the rest of the year. It means always putting on pounds in my butt first and my boobs last. Being me means looking in mirrors when I walk past them.
 
The definition of me is an uncommon combination of imperfections that work together remarkably well, in seamless coordination, but, despite that, will never be repeated in the history of humans. No one else, past, present or future, has the unique combination of my talents, ideas, personality or fingerprints. The question is not who will live my life if I don't. The question is who can live my life if I don't. The answer is no one.
 
So it is my job to do. And if its my own journey to walk in my own shoes to complete my own destiny, why not make the most of it, fearlessly?
 
This is your one chance, too. Seize it. Live fearlessly. The world is counting on you.
 
Today's Assignment: Make a list of everything that makes you the one-and-only you; all of your skills, talents, personality traits, physical characteristics, likes, dislikes, propensities and private thoughts, and so on. Keep the list handy so you can add on to it as you think of things. This is one of those never ending lists, by the way.
 
Tomorrow, read through your list. Marvel at the wonderfully complicated person that you are. Accept that you are put together this way for a purpose. Embrace your every quality, the good and the if-I-could-change-one-thing-about-myself. Use it all to meet every day head-on.