A Thought I Had Today

[Brittany]

Today I was talking with a friend on Facebook, and at some point in the conversation I joked that he should receive thirty lashes for doubting himself.

Then it occurred to me: What if this was how things were? What if every time we beat ourselves up in our heads, it showed up on our physical bodies? Would any of us not look like complete crap at the end of the day?

I realize that in a sense this already happens. Self-destructive thought patterns are the root of most physical illnesses, IMO. But how much more stark of a lesson would it be if we saw immediate results?

I think we'd be forced to feel a lot more compassion, both for ourselves and other people. Just having this thought makes me look at myself, and picture how I would look if every mental punch I've thrown at myself became a scar on my body. I wouldn't even be recognizable as human at this point. Maybe it's time to start treating myself with a little bit more respect, because those scars are real, even if they don't show up on my skin.

I also wonder how many wounds I've left on others when my tolerance for actions I don't agree with has been stretched thin. How many of my friends would be bloody and raw because, instead of taking the time to balance my emotions, I simply unloaded my anger onto them? Perhaps I have work there to do as well.